Activism or Jurisprudence?

So the Supreme Court rules against mandatory sentencing for Federal Courts and decides not to hear a Florida Gay Adoption case. One sounds like a liberal victory, the other sounds like a conservative victory. And again the Rehnquist court continues to baffle any and all who attempt to predict how they will rule. Since the SCOTUS can decline a case without comment, we don't know why they didn't hear the gay adoption case, but I agree that they should have.
But, overall, it sounds like the system is working just fine to me.