Almanac of Absurdities 1/7

On this date in 1904, the Marconi Company announces that the international telegraph distress call will henceforth be the Morse Code for “C-Q-D.” C-Q being the standard call for contact, and adding “D” for distress. Two years later, it's scrapped for the more familiar S-O-S. It's California Dried Plum Digestive Month, and its the end of Diet Resolution Week. Birthdays: Millard Fillmore, Katie Couric and Dustin Diamond who played “Screech” on Saved By The Bell.