This Day in History

By The Associated Press - 11/12/2007

Today Monday, Nov. 12, the 316th day of 2007. There are 49 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight: In 1942, the World War II naval Battle of Guadalcanal began. (The Allies ended up winning a major victory over the Japanese.) On this date: In 1815, American suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born in Johnstown, N.Y.

In 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.

In 2001, American Airlines Flight 587, en route from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Dominican Republic, crashed after takeoff, killing 265 people.

Birthdays Actor-playwright Wallace Shawn is 64. Rock musician Booker T. Jones (Booker T. & the MGs) is 63. Singer-songwriter Neil Young is 62. Figure skater Tonya Harding is 37. Actress Ashley Williams is 29. Actor Ryan Gosling is 27. Actress Anne Hathaway is 25.

Worth repeating ...

‘‘Private opinion creates public opinion. ... That is why private opinion, and private behavior, and private conversation are so terrifyingly important.’’

— Jan Struther, English poet (1901-1953)