TEST-DRIVING THE Porsche Panamera Hybrid. “The Panamera S Hybrid is unconventional, but it is unquestionably every bit a Porsche and a fine automobile. It pushes the state of the art if only by way of seamless integration—there’s nothing superfluous about its mechanicals.”

TIMING: Consumer Reports says now’s not the time to buy a hybrid vehicle.

WHAT IT MEANS TO listen to scientists.

I THINK THEY PREFER TO THINK OF THEMSELVES AS COMPLICIT: Veteran Journalists: Today’s White House Reporters Are Too Timid.

MARY KATHARINE HAM: The feds’ PLAN 2 totes txt u. LOL.

AN IMPORTANT space action alert.

SAUL LEVMORE: The Rage Over Conditional Scholarships.

IN THE MAIL: Bloodmoney: A Novel of Espionage.

SHOULD MARIA SHRIVER pay child support on Arnold’s kid?

HIGHER EDUCATION UPDATE: 55 Law School Student Body Presidents Call for Legislation to Force Law Schools to Submit Data to Feds.

WALTER RUSSELL MEAD on Clausewitz and strategy. “To ignore war in an education is to leave students ignorant about one of the central features of civilization and human life.”

UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS in the housing bust.

5 UGLY TRUTHS about the debt-ceiling battle.

WAL-MART: Not actually cheaper than Target? “According to pricing studies conducted by Customer Growth Partners, a consumer research firm, January, February and March all revealed Target’s prices were lower than Wal-Mart’s. The monthly study, which is conducted in four states, compares products across segments, including 30 fresh, frozen and non-perishable groceries, eight household chemicals, paper and other consumables like detergent, seven health and beauty aids like shampoo and counter medicines and 10 general merchandise items like apparel and toys.” I like Target much better than Wal-Mart anyway. Wal-Mart is kind of depressing, somehow. Of course, I’d love to shop at a Samuel’s.

UPDATE: Reader Doug Rivers emails: “I’m calling BS on this study. I shop at both and I am a grade A cheapskate. Wal-Mart is hands down cheaper. The study compared 35 BRAND NAME items only, and one of the biggest difference makers was smoking cessation gum. As an example off the top of my head, I use fat free half and half. Target brand is about $2. Wal-Mart about $1. There’s a reason all us po folks shop at Wal-Mart.”

Wherever you buy it, I continue to find the notion of “fat free half-and-half” to be troubling.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Antoinette Aubert writes:

You find “fat free half and half” troubling? I thought I was the only one. I can’t tell you how many times I have stared at it at the store and wondered why such a thing exists.

As for the great Target vs. Walmart debate: I’ve never done a study but my own comparison shopping is that the prices are completely comparable. Generic ibuprofen, zyrtec and band-aids are roughly the same cost at both stores, as are brand names. Maybe Walmart is better at improbable items like “fat free half and half,” but for what my family needs both stores are priced about the same.

Target though has infinitely better customer service, meaning they have customer service. You can wander aimlessly around a Walmart looking for someone to help you find something and end up in an infinite loop. I asked for help at a Target last week and had three people finding stuff for me.

Target getting a grocery section has been such a boon to my family, especially last year when my husband lost half his job for a while. I thought the rise in grocery prices has been a shock at Target, but now and then I venture into actual grocery stores and then I truly know shock. You won’t believe what they want for a box of pasta at grocery stores these days; about $2, no I am not making that up. I have no idea why people still shop at grocery stores.

Meanwhile, reader Scott Pierce emails: “Target is Wal-Mart for pretty people.” That must explain why I shop there, then . . ..

MORE: A reader emails: People Of Walmart vs. People Of Target. And adds: “Please don’t use my name!” Heh.

AT AMAZON, the summer pool sale.

A NEW LAW SCHOOL opens in Indiana.

REASON TV: The Meaning of Socialism: Q&A with National Review’s Kevin Williamson.

OOPS:

GAO issued a slew of corrections in November to an undercover investigation into for-profit colleges requested by Sen. Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat, who had unveiled the report at a hearing highly critical of the schools Aug. 4.

A secret internal evaluation email of what went wrong says GAO was put under “extreme short time frames” by Harkin to issue the report and “congressional staffers” demanded the inclusion of numerous details as it was being finalized.

“It certainly discredits the report, doesn’t it?” said Rep. Rob Andrews, New Jersey Democrat and long-time advocate for the for-profit schools.

Indeed. And given Sen. Tom Harkin’s record of lying about having served in Vietnam, it’s not entirely surprising that he would be associated with this piece of politicized deception — or that the press would mostly let him get away with it.

RUN AN OP-ED THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T LIKE, GET SHUT OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS POOL.

It’s more of that Chicago-style media criticism.

SHOCKER: Tea Partiers Are Furious At Gingrich.

UPDATE: Conn Carroll: Why Newt’s Flameout Is Great For the GOP. “Newt has solidified the reduction of entitlement spending as the new litmus test of GOP primary politics. Other 2012 campaigns ignore this lesson at their peril.”

THE CDC ON PREPARING FOR THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. “If zombies did start roaming the streets, CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation. This assistance might include consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine). It’s likely that an investigation of this scenario would seek to accomplish several goals: determine the cause of the illness, the source of the infection/virus/toxin, learn how it is transmitted and how readily it is spread, how to break the cycle of transmission and thus prevent further cases, and how patients can best be treated.”

Maybe these zombie apocalypse supplies will come in handy after all.

UPDATE: Reader Peter Gookins writes: “I followed your link to the Zombie Apocalypse Supplies, and a lot of them show as ‘out of stock.’ Is something going on I should know about?” Heh.

L.A. TIMES: Why did Obama’s Osama bin Laden poll boost get buried at sea so quickly too? “Yes, the rapid meltdown of Obama’s approval boost this month was connected to the serial botched recountings of the episode by Obama aides trying to pat the boss on the back too hard too quickly. But it also indicates the stubborn power of more fundamental political challenges facing him and his team of fellow Chicago operatives. These are mainly economic problems.”

WAPO: CIA flew stealth drones into Pakistan to monitor bin Laden house. “The aircraft allowed the CIA to glide undetected beyond the boundaries that Pakistan has long imposed on other U.S. drones, including the Predators and Reapers that routinely carry out strikes against militants near the border with Afghanistan.” This isn’t a big surprise, but is the WaPo helping out national security by reporting this?

THE SECRET LESSON BEHIND NEWT GINGRICH’S BOTCHED CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: Take your time and don’t rush things.

HIGH-SPEED FAILURE.