memeorandum: The real threat to Facebook is the Kool-Aid turning sour (Josh Constine/TechCrunch)

4:25 PM ET, March 31, 2018

Top Items:

Palestinians hold day of mourning after 773 ‘shot with live ammunition’ — At least 15 killed when Israeli soldiers open fire during mass demonstrations in Gaza — Hazem Balousha in Gaza City and Oliver Holmes in Jerusalem … Gaza hospitals, running low on blood and overstretched …

Discussion: Reuters and Common Dreams

The Times of Israel:

At least 25 Gazans said injured in renewed border clashes — Hundreds protest along security fence Saturday, a day after at least 16 were said killed in mass demonstrations — At least 25 Palestinians were injured in renewed clashes on Saturday along the security fence with Israel, according to Hamas-run Gaza health authorities.

Discussion: The Times of IsraelDavid … and Breitbart

Associated Press:
Israel says it will expand response if Gaza clashes go on

Discussion: The Guardian

Brian Steinberg / Variety:

Laura Ingraham Says She'll Take Planned Vacation Amidst Controversy — Laura Ingraham is taking avacation next week. Now the question is whether a controversy swirling around the host will go on hiatus as well. — The popular Fox News Channel host - her “Ingraham Angle” …

Discussion: USA Today, Daily Kos, Raw Story, Splinter, Joe.My.God. and No More Mister Nice Blog

The Hill:

Ingraham announces break from her show amid backlash over Parkland student … Fox News host Laura Ingraham is taking vacation time even as advertisers flee her show “The Ingraham Angle” over a feud with a high school student who advocates gun control. — Ingraham on her show Friday night described …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Mother Jones, ThinkProgress, Breitbart, Daily Kos, One America News Network, TheBlaze, RedState, twitchy.com and Conservative Review

Marina Fang / HuffPost:
Parkland Survivor Criticizes Laura Ingraham For Only Apologizing After Advertisers Fled

Discussion: New York Times, Raw Story, Bustle, The Guardian, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit, The Truth About Guns, TheBlaze and The Hill

Media Matters for America:

NRA board member Ted Nugent calls Parkland students poor, pathetic liars with no soul — TED NUGENT: The level of ignorance goes beyond stupidity. Again, the National Rifle Association are a bunch of American families who have a voice to stand up for our God-given Constitutionally-guaranteed right to keep and bear arms.

Discussion: RedState, IJR, Washington Examiner, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, The Week and Splinter

The Daily Beast:
Ted Nugent: Parkland's Student-Activists Are ‘Soulless’ Liars

Discussion: Mediaite and Joe.My.God.

Josh Constine / TechCrunch:

The real threat to Facebook is the Kool-Aid turning sour — Who wants to work on a weapon? — These kinds of leaks didn't happen when I started reporting on Facebook eight years ago. It was a tight-knit cult convinced of its mission to connect everyone, but with the discipline …

Discussion: Gizmodo, New York Times and BuzzFeed, more at Techmeme »

Will Sommer:

Roseanne Barr is tweeting about QAnon, a new Pizzagate-style conspiracy theory — The success of ABC's “Roseanne” reboot has brought new attention to comedian Roseanne Barr's belief in the absolutely crazy “QAnon” conspiracy theory. — Barr alluded to the theory on Twitter on Friday night, baffling her followers.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Rush Limbaugh Show, Hullabaloo, Mediaite, Joe.My.God., RedState and The Daily Beast

Andrew Restuccia / Politico:

Did Shulkin get fired or resign? This is why it matters — The White House is now asserting that recently departed Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin resigned. Shulkin has made it clear in his public comments that he was forced out. — While Washington often wraps firings …

Discussion: Joe.My.God., Mediaite, Nextgov and Talking Points Memo

Bret Stephens / New York Times:

The Outrage Over Kevin Williamson — You had the right to remain silent. Now every word you've ever uttered, and every one you ever will, can and will be held against you. — I'm sorry to have to write you, for two reasons. Sorry, first, that you have to endure having your character assailed …

Discussion: Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

Alexei Koseff / Sacramento Bee:

Jerry Brown pardons five immigrants facing deportation — Amid a brewing legal battle with the Trump administration over California's liberal immigration policies, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday granted pre-Easter pardons to five immigrants facing possible deportation.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, CBS Los Angeles, KTLA, The Week and twitchy.com

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:

Trump accuses Amazon of ‘Post Office scam,’ falsely says The Post is its lobbyist … WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Trump escalated his assault on Amazon on Saturday, accusing the online retail giant of a “Post Office scam” and falsely stating that The Washington Post operates as a lobbyist for Amazon.

Tesla:

An Update on Last Week's Accident — Since posting our first update, we have been working as quickly as possible to establish the facts of last week's accident. Our hearts are with the family and friends who have been affected by this tragedy. — The safety of our customers is our top priority …

Discussion: USA Today, The Guardian, WHNT-TV, Mashable, Engadget, CleanTechnica, CBS San Francisco, The Verge, FOX6Now.com and NBC News, more at Techmeme »

Fox News Insider:

Teacher Anti-Trump Rant: Georgia Student Records Teacher Ripping MAGA Make America Great Again — On “Fox & Friends,” Abby Huntsman interviewed a Georgia middle school student who captured audio of her teacher ripping President Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Discussion: IJR, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Wire, twitchy.com and The Daily Caller

Randall D. Eliason / Washington Post:

Why Robert Mueller could be considering bribery charges — Randall D. Eliason teaches white-collar criminal law at George Washington University Law School. He blogs at Sidebarsblog.com. Follow @rdeliason. — President Trump's now-former attorney John Dowd allegedly told lawyers …

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Sapna Maheshwari / New York Times:

Hey, Alexa, What Can You Hear? And What Will You Do With It? — Amazon ran a commercial on this year's Super Bowl that featured celebrities like Rebel Wilson, Cardi B and even the company's chief executive, Jeff Bezos, filling in for the retail giant's digital assistant Alexa.

Washington Post:

‘Unhinged’ or ‘unleashed’? White House stabilizers gone, Trump calling his own shots … PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Trump began the past workweek cutting into steaks at the White House residence on Monday night with his political soldiers, including former advisers Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie …

CNN:

Internal FBI report shows discrepancy between McCabe and Comey accounts — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — (CNN)The internal FBI report that served as grounds for the firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe includes key testimony from his former boss that shows a discrepancy with McCabe's public statements …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, TheBlaze, Law & Crime, twitchy.com, The Week and Washington Post

Aaron Smith / CNNMoney:

Megachurch pastor charged with defrauding elderly investors — Federal authorities have charged the pastor of a Texas megachurch and a Louisiana financial planner with defrauding elderly investors out of more than $1 million. — Kirbyjon Caldwell of Houston and Gregory Alan Smith of Shreveport …

Discussion: The Root, TheBlaze and ABC News

Washington Post:

From Mueller to Stormy to ‘emoluments,’ Trump's business is under siege … The carefully maintained secrecy around President Trump's finances is under unprecedented assault a year into his presidency, with three different legal teams with different agendas trying to pry open the Trump Organization's books.

Discussion: Politico and Mediaite

New York Times:

Trump Advisers Urge Tougher Russia Policy After Expulsions — WASHINGTON — Some senior Trump administration officials are pressing for more aggressive action toward Russia, hoping to persuade a reluctant President Trump to change his approach after a week of mass diplomatic expulsions …