Ends and odds, 2/27/07

Toyota says it will build a new assembly plant in Mississippi to build its Highlander SUV.

The first Highlander I saw was in Japan. I prefer its brand name there: the Kluger V.

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As far as automakers go, I know of plants in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and South Carolina. And Georgia. As far as I know, Florida, Arkansas and Louisiana have been left out of the growth of the auto industry in the South. I wonder why.

Some states may not have auto manufacturing, but they do make heavy vehicles. I know of school bus assembly operations in North Carolina, Georgia and Arkansas, for example. That still leaves Louisiana and Florida that I have to ask about sometime.

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Good news, even though I'm behind the curve on this one: Volkswagen is bringing back one of my favorite car models of all time -- the Scirocco. I had an '82 model until someone rear-ended me and totaled it (I was stopped for a highway flagger; they didn't see me; I got hit at 30 mph or faster; the impact drove the rear bumper into the rear wheels and crumpled everything in between). Then I bought an '84 model that I drove for 139,000 miles. I sold it to a sister, who put another 60K or so on it. It might still be behind her barn. I'll have to ask her.

Anyway, if Ford can bring back the Mustang, VW ought to bring back the Scirocco. I shuddered at first when I saw the MSRP of $28K. Then I realized how few cars you see on the lot nowadays with stickers below that price. Hot cars, anyway. Not that I can afford a Scirocco or a Mustang. But I want one.

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UPDATE 1: And now for something completely different, via The Associated Press:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee lawmaker is demanding answers about the creation of the universe from the state education commissioner.

State Sen. Raymond Finney sponsored a resolution to ask Education Commissioner Lana Seivers whether the universe “has been created or has merely happened by random, unplanned, and purposeless occurrences.”

Finney, a Republican, said he wants the department to say there’s no scientific proof for the theory of evolution and to let schools teach creationism or intelligent design.

Can we drop it? Please?