There isn’t a state in the union that doesn’t depend on oil for transportation. But states have varying levels of dependence, making some far more vulnerable to dramatic economic impacts as the price of oil goes up or down. This new report from the National Resources Defense Council analyzes the vulnerability of each of the 50 states to changes in oil prices.

A negative economic outlook and continued drop in demand drags down the price of oil. (AFP)

Matt Simmons, one of the world’s leading oil analysts and a lifelong Republican, talks about peak oil and describes his party’s presidential candidate as “energy illiterate.” (Fortune Magazine — Brian O’Keefe)

Wild stock market swings put oil prices all over the map on Monday, with light, sweet crude rising by $25 — the largest increase ever in a single day — before dropping to $107 a barrel on Tuesday morning. (New York Times — Matthew Saltmarsh)