I spent four days in Providence RI for the Netroots Nation 2012 convention. I'm sure I would have had a better time if I wasn't attacked by some tainted tuna I had at a restaurant nearby on Friday evening (not affiliated with the hotel, but it was VERY ugly Friday night and Saturday morning, I can assure you). Whether I attend NN13 in San Jose, CA or not I'm not sure yet, but one thing I can tell you for sure is that the National Snow and Ice data center came out with its May 2012 report on Arctic sea ice extent, and since that report was issued there have been some interesting happenings as well.
But first, here's the picture I usually post near-real time from Barrow, AK the North Pole webcam launched near 90°N every April. It's not a victim of spending cuts (yet), probably because anything Arctic gives Republicans visions of oil wells dancing in their pointy little heads. Bless their hearts. No sign of open leads in the ice as yet. And the snow looks to be mostly pristine. But that sunshine and the clear sky portends change.
More below the orange squiggle.