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Video: Murf the Surf

Jack “Murf the Surf” Murphy tells prisoners it’s never too late for redemption.  Read the story and see more photos.

Full text of Mitt Romney's RNC speech

 Here is a link to the full text of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney's acceptance speech made Thursday night at the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. 

Party host Megham McCain wishes dad John McCain happy birthday

Meghan McCain took a break from hosting the Got Your 6 and Lifetime network's Your Life. Your Time. Your Vote. campaign gala Wednesday night to wish her dad, Sen. John McCain, a happy 76th birthday. Sara Evans provided the entertainment for the party at the Glazer Children's Museum. See the story and pictures.

Kid Rock shatters the envelope at RNC party

Kid Rock's bawdy swagger drags Republican National Convention entertainment to a place it hasn't been before with his show Wednesday night in Liberty Plaza outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The crowd of young Republicans flat-out roared when Rock spat out this on-the-fly rap: "They say Obama is lyin' / That's why I'm voting for Romney and Ryan." Check out Times pop music critic Sean Daly's review, along with photos. 

Photo gallery: Isaac

Isaac pounds New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.  See photos.

Video: Ron Paul followers ready for their revolution

He made the big speech of his presidential campaign a day before the Republican National Convention convenes, 10 miles from where it will be held. But that didn't matter to Ron Paul or his nearly 10,000 devotees, who gathered for what many of them say could be the end of the 77-year-old Texas Republican's presidential aspirations, but the beginning of what they call their revolution.

Live tweets: John Cox is on #Isaac watch on the beach

Reporter John Woodrow Cox will be updating us on conditions on the gulf beaches as Isaac moves through the bay area. Check back on this blog post often to see updates, or follow him: @JohnWoodrowCox. You can also watch for updates from @TB_Times. And it goes without saying that if you snap some pics and use Instagram or Twitter, please tag it with #tampabaytimes and we'll consider it for publication in the Tampa Bay Times. (Be safe, though!) Read the tweets on the jump. 

Video: Ready for the RNC balloon drop

A group of students from Gaither High School helped inflate more than 120,000 red, white and blue balloons Friday morning at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. It was all part of the preparations for the iconic "balloon drop" the final night of the convention next Thursday. Full Story

Video: Humans interact with dolphins in the wild

This is just one of several videos that show people interacting with dolphins when they aren't supposed to. In this video, a girl is bitten when she gets her hand too close to the water.

Other videos include people swimming with dolphins and feeding them in the wild

Video: Pasco deputies raid convenience stores selling Spice

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office released this undercover video - taken in a New Port Richey convenience story- the agency's latest effort to wipe out the synthetic drug known as "Spice." Deputies had a list of 21 suspects. They arrested 14 on Thursday and continued to search for the remaining seven. 

Read the story here.

Video: Sand sculptures

Full Story

Friday: Chat with Times Editor Neil Brown, 12:30

Thousands of politicos and journalists are descending on Tampa next week for the Republican National Convention. Chat live with Times Editor Neil Brown Friday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. about the convention -- or maybe about the weather. Whatever's on your mind. Can't make it? Leave a question in advance in the "Comments'' area below, then check back afterward to replay the chat. We look forward to hearing from you.

Video & Photo gallery: The Lions of Tawhid

Watch the New York Times video of the Lions of Tawhid, an anti-government group fighting in Syria..

A photo gallery can be found here

Back to school for many in bay area

People on public assistance commit majority of tax refund fraud, police say

Cops link tax fraud to public benefits: Tampa led the nation in refund fraud last year, and when police find evidence, they often find ID cards for safety-net programs. Read Patty Ryan's story from Sunday's Times.