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What to Watch on Thursday: Romney speech closes out RNC

Republican National Convention - Primetime convention coverage of the final night of the convention begins at 10 p.m. on broadcast networks. If you want wall-to-wall coverage, your best bet is to head online or to cable. Tonight's highlight will be the acceptance speech of presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Here's much more information about RNC viewing.

Iron Men (9pm, The Weather Channel) - Season two opens with workers who rebuilt the World Trade Center in New York City. A second episode airs at 9:30.

Project Runway (9pm, Lifetime) - In this time of national division, I'm glad we can all at least come together in our disdain for Ven Budhu, the most horrible human being to ever disgrace The Runway. Too harsh? No. What a supremely arrogant jack@ss. Anyway, tonight the designers compete to have their looks selected as part of a 10-piece capsule collection (hope they like silk and chiffon, Ven!). Fashion executive Bonnie Brooks is the guest judge.

Wilfred (10pm, FX) - Ryan attempts to discover the truth about Wilfred  through self-examination.

Louie (10:30pm, FX) - In the first episode of a three-episode arc, Louie hopes to catch a break.

Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell (11pm, FX) - Bell riffs on politics, race and society. Solidly funny every week.

What to Watch on Wednesday: Chaos on 'Necessary Roughness' mid-season finale

Republican National Convention - Primetime convention coverage on broadcast networks begins at 10 p.m. tonight. If you want wall-to-wall coverage, your best bet is to head online or to cable. Tonight's highlights include speeches from vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and former Florida governor Jeb Bush. Here's much more information about RNC viewing.

So You Think You Can Dance (8pm, Fox) - The Top 8 dancers perform with all-stars from previous seasons, and two more are eliminated. Jesse Tyler Ferguson ("Modern Family") is the guest judge.

Haunted Collector (9pm, Syfy) - In the second season finale, the team investigates claims of paranormal occurrences in Hawaii, including the Iao Theater in Maui.

Royal Pains (9pm, USA) - A pop star needs treatment while visiting the Hamptons to gear up for her latest tour. Elsewhere, Paige prepares to leave for school and Divya falls for a worldly polo player.

Necessary Roughness (10pm, USA) - Disaster looms for T.K. and the team in tonight's summer finale. Michael Imperioli (left) guest stars.

Top Chef Masters (10pm, Bravo) - The chefs create dishes using aphrodisiac ingredients. Later, they launch their own Thai restaurant and revamp classic Thai meals. Burlesque performer Dita Von Teese is the guest judge.

Paranormal Witness (10pm, Syfy) - The origins of a Dybbuk Box, which is said to contain an evil spirit, is investigated by its owner after it supposedly created havocs in the lives of two previous owners. A movie based on this story, starring Kyra Sedgwick and Jeffrey Dean Morgan opens in theaters Friday. 

The convention and Isaac

One problem with the front page is that you can't stretch it. Not length-wise and not width-wise. It is what it is. Newsprint cut to fit on our presses.  The printed area is 21 inches deep by 10 inches wide. It doesn't expand on big news days.

What to Watch on Tuesday: A murder trial in 'Pretty Little Liars' summer finale

Republican National Convention - Primetime convention coverage on broadcast networks begins at 10 p.m. tonight. If you want wall-to-wall coverage, your best bet is to head online or to cable. Tonight's highlights include speeches from Ann Romney, Govs. Chris Christie (N.J.), Bobby Jindal (La.) and Bob McDonnell (Va.), former senator Rick Santorum. Here's much more information about RNC viewing.

Pretty Little Liars (8pm, ABC Family) - In the summer season finale, Maya's murder trial gets underway, and Emily can't withstand the media attention surrounding it. "A" then extends an olive branch to the girls, who are skeptical about the sincerity of this offer.

MasterChef (9pm, Fox) - Four hopefuls remain, and they're forced to work in teams of two to prepare a gourmet meal for three world-renowned chefs: Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy. The losing team must face off in a tense souffle test to earn a spot in the Top 3.

Mysteries at the Museum (9pm, Travel) - New England museums are spotlighted. Included, a look at a dress that is linked to a purported alien encounter.

Covert Affairs (10pm, USA) - Annie goes to Cuba with Simon in order to gain more information about his affairs, but she doesn't have any backup from the CIA during the trip.

Collection Intervention (10pm, Syfy) - A couple shares a one-bedroom apartment with a dog and ... thirty thousand comic books.

What to Watch on Monday: Republican Convention starts up in Tampa

Republican National Convention - UPDATE: Isaac has really messed things up. Not much is happening in Tampa except for the storm, but if anything happens, it'll be on cable news (the major broadcast networks hadn't scheduled primetime coverage for tonight even before Isaac blew in). Today's cancelations will likely mean extended coverage Tuesday-Thursday.  Tonight's highlights include speeches from Ann Romney, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.  Here's more information about RNC viewing.

Alphas (8pm, Syfy) - A tech whiz, played by Summer Glau, helps Rosen learn the purpose of an Alpha-enhancing technology.

Hotel Hell (8pm, Fox) - A boutique hotel in San Diego has problems with its decor (based on Ferrari sports cars), room and laundry service, and the in-house restaurant. And of course, the manager is clueless, which means Gordon Ramsey will get to yell at him. A lot.

Major Crimes (9pm, TNT) - The gang investigates a deadly car accident at a nightclub, but facts and clues are scarce. Meanwhile, harsh truths surface when Raydor tries to locate Rusty's mother.

Grimm (10pm, NBC) - Hank helps an old friend whose daughter is missing, while Nick investigates the motives involved in the girl's disappearance.

The Inbetweeners (10:30pm, MTV) - In the second episode of this funny British remake, Simon gets his driver's license, but his new car isn't likely to impress Carly.

On TV: A viewer's guide to the Republican National Convention

The Republican National Convention officially kicks off in Tampa on Monday, but most TV networks following the event will begin their coverage on Sunday, with discussions on morning roundtable shows and various "countdown" specials.

During the week of convention activity (the actual convention runs Monday through Thursday), broadcast networks and cable news channels will handle their coverage very differently.

The major broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- will be airing their morning and evening news programs from Tampa, but you'll only get one hour of primetime coverage (at 10 p.m.), and only Tuesday through Thursday (no primetime Monday coverage). PBS (UNC-TV locally) will devote three hours of primetime to the convention each night, but no daytime hours. For the super-duper wall-to-wall coverage, you'll want to head to the cable news channels, which will provide up to 20 hours per day of convention news and analysis.

Here's a brief breakdown of what everyone will offer: (UPDATE: There have been some big changes in the convention schedule thanks to Hurricane Isaac, but much of the coverage information below will stand. Any changes will be noted below as the information becomes available.)

1964 Republicans met at the Cow Palace

 

As the Republican National Convention gets underway in Tampa and preparations heat up for the Democrats to meet in Charlotte, here's a look back at the 1964 Republican National Convention in California's Cow Palace. The convention, which ran from July 13 to July 16, was only the second to be held on the west coast and included a rousing (and lengthy) speech supporting candidate Barry Goldwater by Ronald Reagan. (A speech by Ronald Reagan in support of presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, which came to be know as "A Time for Choosing" was not part of the 1964 Republican National Convention, but was instead given before a television audience on October 27, 1964.)
 
 
AP reported that the convention site was "buzzing with activity."
 
The Cow Palace is no place today for cows. Or people.
 
Work is moving along briskly and noisily to transform the big exhibition hall and home of a professional ice hockey team into the arena for selecting the 1964 Republican ticket. ...
 
Flags of the states have been draped on both sides. A new electronic score board has been installed to flash a running total of the vote for the presidential nomination. Most of the delegation phones are in.
 
[...]
 
Members of the convention arrangements committee made their way through the lumber and wires ... to assess the progress.
 
"It's working out very well," said Clare Shank of St. Petersburg, Fla., a GOP national committeewoman and a former assistant national chairman.
 
Mrs. Shank said she was delighted that so little room of the 1,308 delegates had been sacrificed in enlarging the platform space allowed for the 1956 Republican convention in the same hall. 
 
Back at the headquarters hotel, there were happy tidings for people who'd like to attend the "GOParty Gala" convention eve but don't have $500 in cash for a ticket.
 
Just charge it, the sponsors said.
 
More specifically, the national Republican senatorial and congressional committees announced they'll accept credit cards for the foremost social event of the convention.
 
What will the guests get for their $500?
 
-- An engraved ticket, the size of a calling card, engraved in silver and blue, and packaged in a dark blue leather jewelry box. The box also will contain a tiny silver pin in the shape of the Capitol dome.
 
-- A chance to get a close look at all party presidential possibilities and dignitaries and to mix with what advance publicity bills as numerous movie and television personalities.
 
-- An elaborate buffet and drinks, dancing to two orchestras and banjo entertainment.
 
Proceeds will help finance election expenses for Republican candidates for the Senate and House in the fall campaigns. -- The Raleigh Times 7/8/1964

Marcia Ball: Fightin' for her right to party


Officially, Texas singer/pianist Marcia Ball is non-partisan -- she played both the Democratic and Republican conventions, after all. But ask which convention was a better party, and it's no contest.

"The Democrats, hands down," she said in a recent interview. "The Democrats really knew how to party, and there was quite a guest list at the thing we played: James Carville, Kathleen Sebelius, Harry Shearer. It was cool and fun and the music was amazing. I could hardly believe I was there. It was a little bit of heaven. By the Republican convention, it was less of a party. Plus Hurricane Gustav was bearing down, and some of the Louisiana people had to go back. It didn't seem to be as much of an event to the Republicans, totally under the radar. I don't know if we made an impression in Minneapolis at all."

But Ball will probably make an impression tonight in Durham, at the Bull Durham Blues Festival. Check here for more on that and a variety of weighty topics, including barbecue.

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