The Mercury's greatest hits 2003: Hitting our stride

After two years under our belts, we figured our corporate overlords were going to let us stick around a while. With that assurance, the Mercury continued to bring Las Vegas award-winning journalism, opinion and humor.

The L-word

You won't be surprised to learn that our state animal is Vin Suprynowicz. But that didn't discourage Geoff Schumacher, in our Feb. 20 issue, from tirelessly searching out the few true-blue liberals in a state that's redder than U.N. ambassador nominee John Bolton's neck.

TV is so awesome!

He snacks. He watches bad TV. He snacks some more. He uses the remote control as a primitive device for scratching his nuts. He is no mere mortal--he is the Idiot Box Savant! Andrew Kiraly's biweekly column explored bold new frontiers of slothful, mindless tube-watching, any coherent point often being lost in a fizzing paroxysm of exclamation points and made-up words like flavorgasm. Did we mention he likes exclamation points and THE CAPS LOCK KEY!!!?

Music to our ears

It was difficult, but for our June 26 issue we found four local music acts that don't suck. For the record, those artists are The Displaced, Sarah Thiele, Pilot to Orion and FFI. Of this writing, all are still certified to be non-sucky.

The inside dirt

George Knapp--better known to Mercury readers as Knappster--was at the forefront of the FBI's ongoing probe into corrupt politicians. (In fact, Knapp is the one who dubbed the investigation Operation G-Sting, and it's been known by that name ever since.) Whether it's the Binion murder trial, skullduggery at Nevada Power or the questionable finances behind the Las Vegas Monorail, Knappster delivers the inside angle on developing stories. Watch for his award-winning column to continue in CityLife.

Mother, disgraced politician, convict

This Aug. 21 cover depicts a likely future for former County Commissioner Erin Kenny, who pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges. Sometimes we just stare at it and smile.

Water, water everwhere...

...including the lawn, the swimming pool and the sidewalk. In our Sept. 18 issue, Heidi Walters found the valley's top 100 water hogs. Is it any wonder that many of Las Vegas' rich, famous and powerful are also the thirstiest? Among the who's-who: Robert Goulet, the Sultan of Brunei's exiled younger brother Prince Jefri Bolkiah, Jerry Herbst of Terrible Herbst fame, the Palms' George Maloof, hypnotist Marshall Sylver and Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight (please, sir, don't kill us).

Business behind bars

Prison isn't just a place where criminals repay their debt to society; it's also a place to get rich. In this Dec. 11 investigative report, Joseph Allen showed how Latino inmates run an extensive underground economy in Nevada's prison system--and why business is booming.

The answer lady

When you had questions about current events, Agnes Fliff had the answers--and a hilariously sordid story or two. Roger Naylor's twisted creation for the Mercury's satirical World Report section is a hard-partying mama with a mullet that looks like it's made from spun silver. We'll miss you, Agnes. We sooo have to party one of these days!