Houston we have a problem : Breakup of Comet Elenin is slowing it down

I must admit that I am confused. Some say the comet remains intact and others say the comet is breaking up and slowing down. They also say that anything orbiting the sun in an elliptical orbit must speed up to achieve breakaway speed to avoid entrapment by the sun's gravitational field. Someone else says solar winds, and yet another says less mass means deceleration. I always thought that the vacuum of space had no effect in terms of friction and that gravitational fields and magnetospheres were the "engines" causing changes in orbital paths and velocities. Solar winds are so variable and unpredictable, scientists still squabble over them and their effects, but they may slow the comet down, I guess. Sure is confusing.
What is even more confusing is the volume of conflicting data, a tsunami of chaos and confusion, spewing forth for this comet. Wow!!! Guess we'll know soon enough.
Live long and prosper.