Using emacs 23.1.1 (release version) running on Apple Macintosh Computer with latest OS 10.6.1 (but these problems were there in the previous OS).

GNU Emacs 23.1.1 (i386-apple-darwin9.7.0, NS apple-appkit-949.46) of 2009-07-30 on GH-iMAC.local

1. Mode not always recognized

Sometimes, when I open a file with the following at the start

Local Variables:
mode: org
End:

emacs does not put the buffer into org-mode.  Usually yes, but not always.

Similarly, sometimes when opening a file with ending .tex or .html, the right mode is not chosen.  Again, usually it is, but not always.

2. In earlier versions of emacs, quoted material in .html or .tex buffers was highlighted, but never in this version.

 Gil