On December 14, 2025, the world was shocked by the news of the brutal stabbing deaths of famed actor/director Robert Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner. Within hours, authorities had arrested the Reiners’ second son, Nick, for the crime. Two days later, he was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of multiple homicides; if found guilty, Nick Reiner could receive the death penalty.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has come under scrutiny for his orders relating to the recent attacks on supposed Venezuelan drug-smuggling ships in the Caribbean, even suffering friendly fire from Republicans. Reportedly, at the first such attack on September 2, 2025, Hegseth gave the order to “Kill them all,” leading to a “double tap,” a second bombardment of the already destroyed vessel, when survivors were seen clinging to the wreckage in the aftermath.
It’s time for another installment of Cosmic Grab Bag, AAA’s catchall collection of smaller stories that were skipped in real time, but deserve honorable celestial mention. In this issue we deal with a royal “first” in religion, a World Series outcome, a royal demotion, and a Supreme Court hearing.
At a “No Kings” rally in Fairhope, Alabama on Saturday, 18 October 2025, a 61-year-old-woman in a huge inflatable penis costume, draped in an American flag, carrying a sign reading “No Dick-Tator,” was arrested by police, after refusing to remove the outfit, which authorities deemed “obscene.” Jeana Gamble was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after it took three policemen to wrestle her to the ground and apply the cockring. Errr, handcuffs. There is no reporting on whether pistols were pulled out and cocked. Bystanders suggested the cops had bitten off more than they could chew.
On the last weekend of September 2025, two mass shootings unfolded, within 13 hours of each other, on the East Coast and in the Heartland, both allegedly perpetrated by 40-year-old former marines, and both employing unorthodox means to enact their crimes. On Saturday, 27 September, at about 9:30 PM EDT, Nigel Max Edge approached a popular waterfront bar in Southport, North Carolina by boat, and fired indiscriminately into the business, killing 3 and wounding 5 more. The following morning at 10:25 AM EDT Thomas Jacob Sanford drove his truck, huge American flags waving, straight into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sanctuary in Grand Blanc, Michigan, leaping from the vehicle to spray the attendees with bullets, and tossing accelerant into the church, then lighting it, causing a massive fire. Four were killed, 10 injured.
Stories frequently cross the digital transom that catch my eye, but don’t necessarily merit a full article on their own. But the celestial correspondences are worthy of notice, so from time to time I compile these unrelated stories into an asteroid omnibus bill, if you will. In this edition, we’ll tackle a challenge to same-sex marriage, a disturbing melding of government with the private sector, a Senate grilling for a Cabinet Secretary, and a record-making Royal visit.
