While oil globs in Bay Jimmy and the occasional sheen continue to serve as chemical reminders of the Big Oozy, some of the most damaging effects of the 2010 disaster three years later are revealed by what can no longer be seen.

In 2011, a lot of the old maxims about New Orleans' resistance to change got thrown out the window. From Freret Street to Mayor Mitch's office to the Krewe of Chewbacchus, the City showed us that changing with the times, if not desired, is at the very least inevitable and therefore necessary. Waters around us have grown and all that. To be sure, many of the old vanguards of the city will live on past this period. But there are a few who came later that didn't live up to the hype. That doesn't mean they won't be back around again. As EWE taught us, you can always come back and marry someone who makes you look good. So, without further rambling, here's a list of who's in and who's out in 2011, and what to look out for in 2012.

Last week, Jeremy Shockey sent mixed Tweets, BP was revealed to be taking plays from the Dick Nixon playbook and, as ever, the candidates for lieutenant governor were rolling out "celebrities." Check out the stats that make the news tick in our latest edition of NoDef Numbers:

Once again, the democratic process threatens to interrupt football and infiltrate our neutral grounds next Saturday, as elections will decide races across the state that settle old scores, and the effects of the map-slicing the legislature pulled off during redistricting.

When it comes to endorsements, the rotary club just won't do for the two Republicans running for lieutenant governor. Billy Nungesser, the challenger for the state's no. 2 post, has gone country and he's gone Costner. But earnest folksiness and the enviroment (specifically: water) will only go so far in this state. So, with the campaign against Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne entering the stretch run, the campaign wheeled out the original Mr. Mardi Gras, Blaine Kern, Sr. But it ain't even Twelfth Night yet so forget the floats. Kern's dynamite endorsement comes in front of a Saints helmet! Video and Dardenne gets his own celeb after the jump.

Last week, Billy Nungesser got a transatlantic endorsement, NOPD's police chief started a more risque media strategy and, as ever, New Orleans was recognized for our ability to shake it. We've been going over the numbers, and we thought we'd let you in on a few of the more compelling. Thankfully, Ian Hoch is around to make them easy on the eyes. Click through to view this week's rundown.

by Sarah Stansbury

The Walton and Johnson endorsed candidate for Lt. Governor, Billy Nungesser, has a disclosed personal finance report that King Midas would covet. Nungesser, who had more than $1 million in cash on hand as of his latest campaign finance report. But that's not from fundraisers. He gave himself a loan to run the final month of his campaign. His opponent in the primary, Jay Dardenne, had about $636,000. On the business side, Nungesser's holdings make it look like Warren Buffett is advising this guy.  

At the Pachyderms of Baton Rogue, it seems there might have been a different sort of elephant in the room than they're accustomed to. Usually, Billy Nungesser relishes an opportunity to talk really loudly into the mic. But this week, he backed out of two scheduled debates with his opponent in the Lieutenant Governor's race, Jay Dardenne. Nungesser backed out of the scheduled Friday Pachyderms debate Thursday night, leaving very short notice. The second was scheduled for Monday at the Press Club of Baton Rogue, but Nungesser said he had scheduling conflicts. The speculation wire is up and running here, here and here.

Billy Nungesser is no stranger to left-field tactics from behind the camera. During the Big Oozy, he was known to deploy the old "get-really-mad-and-red-in-the-face," or the even older, "get-really-mad-and-just-start-swearing." Now that he's running for lieutenant governor, though, Nungesser seems to feel that it's time to diversify. He's already pulled out the "get-a-country-music-singer-to-get-heartfelt-for-me." For his latest TV spot, "Other People's Money," it was apparently time to go all arty.

The governor's race is a real snooze, unless you like watching Bobby Jindal talk over gratutiously patriotic music. But when it comes to the state's no. 2 seat, the calvaries are circling the wagons on all fronts. Not least of these is TV (and, by extension, the Interwebs), where potshots at your opponent are guaranteed to be viewed by the football-watching public (so..everyone). Click through to see the poke checks Jay Dardenne and Billy Nungesser have lobbed at each other so far.