National Day of Prayer || National Day of Reason

Motor vehicle sales figures for April are released.

The commercial salmon season was to begin today along the Californian and Oregon coasts. However, the Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to cancel this year’s season, faced with the collapse of the fall Chinook salmon run in the Sacramento River. Look for salmon prices to increase.

In China, the Hangzhou Bay Bridge opens to traffic. At 18 miles, it is the world’s longest cross-sea bridge. At a cost of $1.6 billion, it cuts the length of a trip from Shanghai to Ningbo, a busy port city, by 74 miles.

It was five years ago today, that President Bush declared that combat operations in Iraq were completed. (2003)

The April employment situation is released.

Start of the IIHF World Hockey Championship, in Quebec City and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The 134th running of the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in horse racing’s Triple Crown.

Steve McQueen’s 1940 Indian Scout motorcycle will be auctioned at Bonhams today, and is expected to fetch up to $80,000. McQueen is currently ranked 10th on the Forbes list of top-grossing dead stars, a list that one supposes nobody looks forward to being on.

Oscar De La Hoya, in a tune-up for a possible rematch with Floyd Mayweather, will fight “Contender” runner-up Steve Forbes at the Home Depot Center outside of Los Angeles.

The United Nations officially recognizes equal rights for the world’s 650 million disabled persons. The U.N. convention that goes into affect outlaws all forms of discrimination, and has been signed by 126 of the 192 member states. Neither Russia or the United States has signed, the Bush administration saying the document is weaker than current U.S. legislation.

Join Hands Day (www.joinhandsday.org)

National Homebrew Day (www.beertown.org)

President Bush delivers the commencement address at Greensburg High School, which was leveled exactly one year ago by a tornado with speeds up to 205 mph.

Start of Be Kind to Animals Week (www.americanhumane.org), and National Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week (www.freedomfromfear.org)

Ten years ago today, Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski was given four life sentences plus 30 years, under a plea deal that spared him the death penalty, orchestrated by his brother who had turned him in. (1998)

Cinco de Mayo

Melanoma Monday. (www.aad.org)

Indiana and North Carolina primaries.

Arraignment for 20-year-old Calin Chi Wong on charges of threatening to stage a Virginia Tech-style attack while engaged in an internet chat room. Authorities found assault weapons and ammo at his house in Homestead, FL when he was arrested.

National Teacher Day

Embattled Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern resigns from office today, after 11 years as that country’s leader. The announcement was a surprise, though there have been swelling corruption charges, that he denies.

Inauguration day for incoming Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

National School Nurse Day

Turning to Russia once again, look for Vladimir Putin to be installed as Prime Minister today.

Start of the 22nd PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship, at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL.

In Chicago, jury selection begins for the trial of R&B singer R. Kelly on child-pornography charges stemming from his alleged appearance with an underage girl on a sex tape.

In Crawford, TX, wedding day for the President’s daughter Jenna, to Henry Hager.

In Missoula, MT, opening of the International Wildlife Film Festival

World Lupus Day (www.lupus.org)

Mother’s Day

Serbian President Boris Tadic disbanded parliament a couple months back, and has called for a general election today to fill the seats.

Start of National Nursing Home Week.

Price of a first class postage stamp rises from 41 to 42 cents.

Start of National Stuttering Awareness Week

NBC-TV with the hurried 2nd season premiere of AMERICAN GLADIATORS.

A new chapter in the NFL’s “Spygate” saga, as former Patriots assistant coach Matt Walsh, the one who claims his “unauthorized filming” was far more extensive than has been thus far admitted to, meets with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

For the Democrats, the West Virginia primary.

Opening of the 61st Cannes Film Festival

President Bush will be in Israel to help celebrate that country’s 60th birthday.

British Rule in Palestine ends, and Israel becomes an independent state at 12:01 the following day, 60 years ago today. (1948)

National Receptonists Day

After eight years of occupation, the Soviet Union begins pulling troops out of Afghanistan, 20 years ago today. (1988)

In Louisville, the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meeting.

Yes my friends, today is the final broadcast for the MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW.

Housing starts figures for April are released.

National Bike To Work Day

New parliamentary elections in Kuwait, after leader Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the opposition-dominated previous one.

Armed Forces Day

Start of National Safe Boating Week

The 2nd jewel of horse racing’s triple crown, The Preakness Stakes.

In Magnolia, AR, the World Championship Steak Cook-Off (www.blossomfestival.org)

The IIHF World Hockey Championship Game.

Start of National Dog Bite Prevention Week

In Atlanta, the NFL owner’s spring meeting.

Nintendo releases Wii Fit, a health themed game that will tell players whether they are obese, and will track their movements while leading them through exercises.

In Dublin, representatives from around 100 countries will meet to hammer out a treaty banning cluster bombs. Holdouts include the U.S., Russia, and China.

ABC-TV premieres a new season of THE BACHELORETTE. DeAnna Pappas is the suitor for this round, a rejection from a previous BACHELOR episode.

Kentucky and Oregon hold their presidential primaries today.

The first annual Saudi Arabia Film Festival, showing the best from the Arab states. The government has approved the 5-day venture, though movie theaters are illegal in Saudi Arabia.

The Fed releases minutes from its last meeting concerning interest rates today.

Ten years ago today, angry over being suspended from school, 15-year-old Kipland Kinkel loaded a glock, walked into his school cafeteria, and killed two students, while injuring a couple dozen others. He had murdered both his parents the night before. He is serving a life without parole sentence. (1998)

In Prague, debut of Vaclav Havel’s new play, his first in some two decades, as he took a break from writing to run the Czech Republic. It won’t be at the main “National Theater,” as Havel had insisted his ex-wife play the female lead, and the theater wouldn’t allow that. So it’ll be at the less distinguished Archa Theater, and Havel’s ex-wife will play the female lead.

FOX-TV with the fourth season premiere of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE.

NBC-TV with the 6th season premiere of LAST COMIC STANDING.

Existing home sales for April are released.

Charles Gibson was appointed permanent anchor of World News 2 years ago today.

The Brooklyn Bridge was opened to traffic 125 years ago today. (1883)

The 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500.

HBO premieres new film called “Recount,” about… well, you know. Film stars Kevin Spacey as Al Gore’s former chief-of-staff Ron Klain. Some other interesting match-ups include Laura Dern as Katherine Harris, and John Hurt as Warren Christopher.

Memorial Day

ABC-TV brings back THE MOLE (you know there was a writer’s strike, right?) for a sixth season.

New home sales figures for April are released.

Idaho presidential primary today.

Michael Fortier, the government’s star witness in the Oklahoma City bombing case, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after apologizing for not warning anybody about the deadly plot, ten years ago today. (1998)

President Bush delivers the commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

Court martial trial date for First. Lt. Andrew Grayson, accused of destroying evidence in the 2005 killings of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals, in Washington, DC.

The summit of Mt. Everest was reached for the first time 55 years ago today, by Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal. (1953)

The greatest voice artist in history, Mel Blanc, would have turned 100 years old today.

It has now been three years since teenager Natalee Holloway was last seen, leaving a bar in Aruba with three young men.

Justin Yifu Lin, considered one of China’s top economic minds, becomes chief economist for the World Bank today.

NASA plans to launch the space shuttle Discovery for its next mission.

WBA heavyweight title rematch between belt holder Rusian Chagaev, and 7-foot challenger Nikolai Valuev. Chagaev is undefeated, and won the title by decisiojn over Valuev last in April of 2007. Fight will be in Oberhausen, Germany.