Baseball: The Yanks did lousy on an important cross-country trip, dropping three games on their AL East opponents, and not doing well versus their Wild Card rival in the Central either (barely won one of three vs. the Twins). OTOH, the Mets are again in first place (will they last more than a day this time?) because the Phillies are struggling again. This should be fun. [Not really.] I don't think the Yanks are done yet, but that trip didn't help much, did it? Tampa Bay has some wiggle room, especially with the WC, but key injuries will make things tough. Two gutsy wins versus the As helped. Lots of baseball left for the last quarter of the season.
Movie: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 was disappointing fare. I saw and listened to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the movie in a few ways better than the book. The genre is not geared to me, but the first one was overall well made, helped by four good leads. The second, a generic title partially a result of it apparently (so said a movie critic) a combination of the three book sequels (which have real names, not 2, 3, 4) is rather lame [replace with timely vernacular]. "Tibby" comes out the best,* the others having pretty shallow stories, and tiresome supporting cast (Bridget's dad is especially bad). The pants weren't even used that much.
Book: Chief Justice Taft once noted that the Supreme Court case is not about the litigant, who had two shots at it already, but about the law overall. No matter. Individuals go to court, the lack of a "case or controversy" with an individual injury likely to get you kicked out for bringing a case not "ripe" or whatever. So, each case is also about the person, and many others in somewhat similar straits. And, many cases that have reached the Supreme Court underline that a lawsuit can reflect not just the person or like persons, but a whole generation.
In Reckless Hands: Skinner v. Oklahoma and The Near Triumph of American Eugenics by Victoria F. Nourse (a quick read, under two hundred pages, not counting notes) underlines the point. A bit incomplete at times (e.g., a previous lawsuit was basically dropped in mid-stream), the book is recommended as a whole. The core of the book is a discussion of the golden age, so to speak, of eugenics and its decline with an assist from Adolf Hitler. The book also spends a bit of time on a Supreme Court in transition (not sure if I agree with all her conclusions there, but it adds to the book overall), also the subject of an upcoming effort by that author, into an age where rights were central.
But, the fact this was an equal protection case (only a certain arbitrary class of crimes led to sterilization) highlights that age had not quite yet arrived. Eugenics, as the final chapter that uses the case as a warning of all those who wish to use science as social policy underlines, was after all about selectively targeting certain "races" -- a word (white, Italian, Japanese, alien, etc.) that went beyond black and white. Skinner is now seen as pioneer of strict scrutiny, in particular, against laws that threaten "basic civil rights of man" like the right of procreation.
This was not a focus of the litigation, but Nourse reminds that equality and individual rights go hand in hand. When important rights are burdened, a bit too often they are done selectively, favored classes winning out. So even though Skinner ended with an opening for an across the board sterilization law, it was an important victory. More books forthcoming.
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* Tibby's first time was handled here, the little nod she gives to her boyfriend beforehand a nice touch. But, plot driven or not (part of her not being able to handle happiness), the pregnancy scare (condom broke) was annoying. Apparently, even cool sorts who like in NYC (I have gone past the video store where she worked) do not know about morning after pills. Also, the shots of her looking at crying babies etc. and being skeeved also suggests obviously abortion is apparently not an option either.
No pregnancy, which is a relief. Good birth scene -- again Tibby comes off the best story-wise -- with her friend's mom. OTOH, one more chance for young women to be deprived of a nice portrayal of a first time. The worst was Gilmore Girls. Rory (the actress plays a somewhat similar role here) had a pretty good, if naughty (adultery), first time.
But, Paris was soon totally embarrassed. Since she was already seen as a deep down good person, this really annoyed me at the time, a total cruddy thing to do to her character.