title: The Residents

text: During the tour, the Residents would work on new projects. Their next album, "Intruders", released in October 2018, was advertised along with the "I am a Resident!" concept, which started as a sort of officially endorsed tribute project: fans would submit their interpretations of Residents songs, and the group would collect their favorites into an album. After the number of submissions vastly exceeded their expectations, the group decided to change the project into a type of collage, even recording segments and overdubs of their own. The final album was released to contributors in May 2018, and worldwide in August 2018.


title: The Residents

text: In July 2018, the Residents also published their second novel (the first being a novelization of their game "Bad Day on the Midway" in 2012). The book, entitled "The Brick-Eaters", was described as "an absurdist buddy movie story featuring a very tall internet content screener teaming up with an aging career criminal whose primary companions are an oxygen bottle and a .44 Magnum".


title: The Residents

text: The group also began their ongoing "pREServed" reissue series in January 2018 – deluxe editions of the major albums in the band's discography, containing brand new remasters and unreleased recordings from the band's archives, previously in the care of Hardy Fox before he quit the group.


title: The Residents

text: During the "In Between Dreams" tour, the Residents also previewed songs from their "upcoming blues album," which was eventually titled "". The premise of the album was to present the long-lost recordings of a fictional albino blues singer named Alvin Snow, also known as "Dyin' Dog." The Residents would present the original "Dyin' Dog demos" on one disc, and their own interpretations of the same songs on another disc. The album was released in July 2020 and promoted with two music videos for the Residents' new versions of "Bury My Bone" and "DIE! DIE! DIE!", the latter being sung by alternative rock musician and Pixies frontman Black Francis.


title: The Residents

text: "Metal, Meat & Bone" was promoted during the Residents' 'Dog Stab!' tour in 2021 (following numerous cancellations and postponements on account of the COVID-19 pandemic) – the show, currently marketed as "the 50th anniversary show," presented songs from the new album as well as new arrangements of songs from their 1978 album, "Duck Stab / Buster & Glen". The band will continue this tour with dates currently set for 2023.


title: The Residents

text: To celebrate the group's 50th anniversary, a retrospective coffee table book, "The Residents: A Sight for Sore Eyes, Vol. 1" by author Aaron Tanner, was announced. The book contains never-before-seen photos, quotes from celebrities influenced by the group, and a 7" single dating to the group's "Not Available" era.


title: The Residents

text: On May 13 and 14 2022, the Residents performed their "God In Three Persons" album live two more times, at the Presidio Theatre in San Francisco. The Residents presented themselves as a six-piece band at this show, with visuals created by John Sanborn. The visuals featured videos starring Jiz Lee, who portrays the twins.


title: The Residents

text: The Residents' film "Triple Trouble" debuted in Chicago on July 29, 2022. It is composed of new footage shot during the COVID-19 pandemic and includes material from the Vileness Fats project.


title: The Residents

text: In the group's early days, many rumors circulated about its membership. As the cover art of "Meet the Residents" was a parody of the Beatles' 1964 North American release, "Meet the Beatles!", rumors circulated that the Residents were actually the Beatles, even specifically naming George Harrison. Many other rumors have come and gone over the years, one being that '60s experimental band Cromagnon shared members with the band. Les Claypool, frontman of rock band Primus, and Gerald Casale of new wave band Devo claimed to have been accused of being members of the band; and Mark Mothersbaugh is alleged to have played keyboards during the band's 13th-anniversary tour.


title: The Residents

text: Since the late 1970s, much of the speculation about the members' identities has involved the group's management team, the Cryptic Corporation. It was formed in 1976 as a corporation in California by Jay Clem, Homer Flynn, Hardy W. Fox, and John Kennedy. All but Fox have denied having been band members. Clem and Kennedy left the Corporation in 1982. The Residents members do not grant interviews, although Flynn, Fox, and Clem have conducted interviews on behalf of the group.


title: The Residents

text: Nolan Cook, a prominent collaborator in the band's live and studio work (and a live member of I Am Spoonbender) denied in an interview that Fox and Flynn were the Residents. However, some consider Cook himself a member of the band, as he is known to wear the same head coverings as the group in live shows, and wore the trademark eyeball mask on the Wormwood Tour. He also played the part of "Bob" during the "Randy", "Chuck", and "Bob" trilogy of shows.


title: The Residents

text: William Poundstone, author of the Big Secrets books, compared voiceprints of a Flynn lecture with those of spoken word segments from the Residents discography in his book "Biggest Secrets". He concluded, "The similarities in the spectograms second the convincing subjective impression that the voices are identical", and that "it is possible that the creative core of the Residents is the duo of Flynn and Fox." A subset of that belief is that Flynn is the lyricist and that Fox writes the music. The online database of the performance rights organization BMI (of which the Residents and their publishing company, Pale Pachyderm Publishing [Warner-Chappell] have been members for their entire careers) lists Flynn and Fox as the composers of all original Residents songs, including pre-1974 songs from the "Residents Unincorporated" years.


title: The Residents

text: Simon Reynolds wrote in his book "Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984" that "the Residents and their representatives were one and the same," and elaborated further on one of his blogs, stating that "this was something that anybody who had any direct dealings with Ralph figured out sooner rather than later." Reynolds quotes Helios Creed, who identifies the Residents as a keyboardist named "H," a singer named "Homer," and "this other guy called John." Peter Principle of Tuxedomoon claimed that he and others "eventually figured out that the guy doing the graphics and the engineer in the studio were, in fact, the Residents."Cryptic openly admits the group's artwork is done by Flynn (among others) under various names that, put together, become "Pornographics", but the pseudonym is rarely spelled the same way twice (examples: Porno Graphics, Pore No Graphix, Pore-Know Graphics); and that Fox is the sound engineer – meaning that he is the main producer, engineer, mixer, and editor of all their recordings. (Since 1976, all of the Residents' recordings have listed their producer as the Cryptic Corporation, presumably meaning Fox in particular.)


title: The Residents

text: From 2010 to 2016, the Residents referred to themselves in concert as the characters "Randy", "Chuck", and "Bob", and referred to a former member of the band, "Carlos", who left the group following a disagreement with "Randy". There is speculation that "Carlos" is Carlos Cadona. Better known by his stage name, "6025," Cadona was in the original lineup of the Dead Kennedys and appears on a live album by Snakefinger. "Carlos" may also refer to Carla Fabrizio, a touring member of the Residents from 1998 to 2008.


title: The Residents

text: "Bob" is speculated to be guitarist and longtime collaborator Nolan Cook. Cook is often the only credited collaborator on the "Randy, Chuck, & Bob" era albums, such as "Lonely Teenager", "Talking Light: Bimbo's", and "Shadowland".


title: The Residents

text: A synopsis for the Residents' 2012 stage production "Sam's Enchanted Evening" provides the name "Randy Rose" as that of the Residents' lead singer. "Chuck", or "Charles Bobuck", was the group's primary songwriter, and released a series of solo albums (or "contraptions") under this name during the "Randy, Chuck and Bob" era. The member known as Chuck retired from live performance due to ill health in 2015, and ultimately retired from the Residents altogether following the release of the "Theory of Obscurity" documentary film. Eric Drew Feldman replaced him and performed under the name "Rico" from 2015 to 2016.


title: The Residents

text: In the liner notes featured on the 2020 reissue of Phillip Perkins' "King of the World" album, Perkins confirms that he was a member of the Residents during their "Assorted Secrets" lineup, which also performed "The Mole Show". On his BayImproviser biography Perkins states that he worked closely with the Residents between 1979 and 1984. He had previously been credited as the lighting designer on the Mole Show Roxy LP, and as engineer on original versions of "Stars & Hank Forever", as well as on reissues of "The Tune of Two Cities" and "The Snakey Wake". Considering this, his time working with the group roughly would have been from 1979 to 1987.


title: The Residents

text: In October 2017, former manager for the Residents, Hardy Fox identified himself as both the anonymous primary composer and producer for the Residents as well as the pseudonymous Charles Bobuck. Fox was born in Longview, Texas, where his father worked in the oil industry; his mother was a nurse. The family moved several times, and Fox graduated from Rayville High School in Louisiana in 1963. He then studied art and business at Louisiana Tech University, where he met Homer Flynn, and graduated in 1967.


title: The Residents

text: In September 2018 Fox added to his website the dates "1945–2018", although he was known to be alive (but unwell) after the dates were published. Fox died on October 30, 2018, from brain cancer, aged 73. He was identified in obituaries as the co-founder and primary composer of the Residents. On December 14, 2018, the official Residents mailing list acknowledged Fox as "engineer, producer and sometime composer of much of the Residents’ best-loved work".


title: The Residents

text: Since their inception, the Residents have had a number of credited collaborators. These collaborators, despite not being anonymous, can be considered by some definition, Residents.


title: The Residents

text: During the band's formative years, its main members consisted of the Singing Resident, Hardy Fox, jazz pianist James Whittaker, and bassist Bob Tagney, the later two of whom are credited as writers on the 2018 LP release of "The Warner Brothers" album. This lineup, along with Snakefinger, who would join the group in late 1971, are credited as the 'core' members of the group on the 2013 early demos compilation, "The Delta Nudes Greatest Hiss". Bob Tagney and James Whittaker are also two of the only credited collaborators on the band's debut album, "Meet the Residents", Whittaker, as the pianist on "Spotted Pinto Bean", and Tagney as the co-bassist on "Infant Tango". Female vocalist Pamela Zeibak was also one of the Residents' frequent collaborators during this time, with credits on "The Delta Nudes Greatest Hiss", "Meet the Residents", "The Third Reich 'n Roll", and "Fingerprince". She also performed vocals on 'Spotted Pinto Bean' at the group's debut live performance in 1976.


title: The Residents

text: Shortly before that performance, Joshua Raoul Brody began working with the Residents after he was invited to the set of their film "Vileness Fats". Shortly after this he worked with the group anonymously by arranging the backing vocals on their "Satisfaction" single. In the 1980s, Brody began to receive credit for his work with the Residents under the pseudonym "Raoul N. Di Seimbote", but by 1987, he was using his own name. Brody most recently worked with the Residents on their 2020 God In Three Persons live show.


title: The Residents

text: In early 1976, Snakefinger returned to the US and continued his collaborations with the Residents. Snakefinger was credited as a general performer on all Residents albums (minus "Not Available") from "Fingerprince" to "Commercial Album". In 1981 he decided to no longer rely on his connection to the Residents. He began writing and recording material with little to no involvement from the group and only appeared on a small handful of tracks on their albums from "The Tunes of Two Cities" to "". Despite this, from 1985 to 1987, Lithman toured with the Residents as a special unmasked guest before his death on July 1, 1987.


title: The Residents

text: At the same time, drummer Don Jakovich started working with the band, making credited appearances on "Satisfaction", "Fingerprince", Snakefinger's "Chewing Hides the Sound", and "Commercial Album". He also performed with them in costume as part of their June 1976 live performance.


title: The Residents

text: Following the demise of Henry Cow, former members Chris Cutler and Fred Frith began making appearances on Residents material as drummer and guitarist respectively. Frith first appeared with the Residents on the "Subterranean Modern" anthology, and Cutler on the "Eskimo" album. The following year both featured on "Commercial Album", with Frith receiving the credit of 'Extra Hard Working Guest Musician'.


title: The Residents

text: Nessie Lessons, the wife of Hardy Fox, began to make appearances on Residents releases between 1980 and 1983, initially as an uncredited female vocalist. Lessons was first credited on "The Tunes of Two Cities", toured with the band from 1982–1983, and acted as the group's spokesperson when Penn Jillette was unavailable. Her final work as a regular collaborator was on the song "HellNo", for the soundtrack to the 1984 film "The Census Taker".


title: The Residents

text: For The Mole Show, the Residents also had dancers: Kathleen French, Carol Werner LeMaitre, Sarah McLennan Walker and Chris Van Ralte. Carol LeMaitre and Sarah McLennan went on to portray the Residents on stage during the 13th Anniversary Show, and the dancers in "Cube-E".


title: The Residents

text: Starting in 1987, the Residents began working with female vocalist Laurie Amat, who went on to become the Residents' primary female vocalist for much of the 1990s. Her final role as a regular collaborator was on the 1998 "" album. Another female vocalist from this period was Diane Alden, who first appeared on the "Freak Show" album; she once again worked with the group until "Wormwood". Tony Janssen, who was first credited as an engineer on the band's "Cube-E" album, eventually became a male vocalist for the band and provided the voice of Tex the Barker in their Freak Show projects.


title: The Residents

text: During recording of their "Gingerbread Man" album, the Singing Resident met future singer Molly Harvey at a coffee store, and invited her to record vocals for the song "The Old Woman". Following this she became a core member of the Residents' team of collaborators, and appeared on all of their mainline albums and live shows until 2005's "Animal Lover". Also appearing for the first time on "Gingerbread Man" was Isabelle Barbier, a young actress who would make occasional appearances with the Residents until "The Ghost of Hope" in 2017.


title: The Residents

text: The Residents' 1998–2000 "" project introduced three important figures in Residents history, Carla Fabrizio, Nolan Cook and Toby Dammit. Dammit briefly played with the Residents live from 1999 to 2003, and performed on the "Demons Dance Alone" album. Carla played with the Residents in concert until the 2008 Bunny Boy tour, and has worked with the band on their studio albums as recently as 2020. Nolan Cook acted as the Residents' lead guitarist both in concert and in the studio for over twenty years, most recently appearing on their 2020 God In Three Persons live project.


title: The Residents

text: In the years following Molly Harvey's departure, professional voice actress Gerri Lawlor began to make regular appearances on the Residents spoken-word projects, "Tweedles", "The River of Crime", "The Voice of Midnight" and "Lonely Teenager". Corey Rosen also began working with the Residents during this time, on "The River of Crime", "The Voice of Midnight", and "The Bunny Boy" web series.


title: The Residents

text: Following the departure of Hardy Fox in 2015, Eric Drew Feldman was once again asked to help with duties previously undertaken by Fox. Along with Feldman, performers Laurie Hall and Peter Whitehead began appearing on Residents releases starting with "The Ghost of Hope". Hall most recently appeared on "Intruders", which also introduced Sivan Lioncub.


title: The Residents

text: The line-up of collaborators as featured on the Residents' latest album, "Metal Meat & Bone", includes Eric Drew Feldman, Carla Fabrizio, Nolan Cook, Peter Whitehead, and Sivan Lioncub.


title: The Residents

text: The Residents' albums generally fall into two categories: deconstructions of Western popular music, and complex conceptual pieces composed around a theme, theory or plot. The group is noted for surrealistic lyrics and sound, with a disregard for conventional music composition. The Residents' musical style encompasses art rock, art pop, avant-pop, avant-rock, electronic, industrial, dark ambient, ambient, electronica, industrial dance, talking blues, alternative rock, noise rock and post-punk. The Residents have been described as pioneers of punk rock, art rock and techno.


title: The Residents

text: The Residents have claimed to have been influenced by N. Senada (which may be a play on "Ensenada", "en se nada" meaning "in himself nothing," "no sé nada" meaning "I don't know anything" or "enseñada", a form of the past participle meaning "taught"), who they alleged was a Bavarian composer and music theorist who formulated the "Theory of Obscurity" and the "Theory of Phonetic Organization". His "Theory of Obscurity" states that an artist can only produce pure art when the expectations and influences of the outside world are not taken into consideration; while his "Theory of Phonetic Organization" states, "the musician should put the sounds first, building the music up from [them] rather than developing the music, then working down to the sounds that make it up."


title: The Residents

text: There is a debate as to whether or not Senada, supposedly having been born in 1907 and dying in 1993 at the age of 86, actually existed, or was simply an invention of the Residents. It is frequently speculated that, if real, N. Senada may have been the famous avant-garde composer and instrument designer Harry Partch, the influence of whose work may be heard in Residents compositions such as "Six Things to a Cycle"; his death is also referenced in the song "Death in Barstow". Another rumor speculates that N. Senada may have been Captain Beefheart, because in the late 1960s Beefheart and his "Magic Band" lived in a residence on Ensenada Drive in Woodland Hills, California, while recording "Trout Mask Replica" and "Safe as Milk"; Beefheart's influence can also be heard in early Residents works. The Residents also sent an early demo tape to the Warner Brothers executive Hal Halverstadt, who had signed Beefheart.


title: The Residents

text: According to the Residents, in 1937, N. Senada premiered his masterpiece, "Pollex Christi", which means either "Thumb of Christ" or "Big Toe of Christ". This work mainly consisted of borrowed pieces from other composers, namely Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5" and Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana", among others. He also left large holes in the work so that the performers could insert music of their choosing, thus "becoming composers themselves". Senada justified his work with "house" analogies claiming that he did not make the "bricks" but "cemented them together"; he was not the "architect", just the "builder". N. Senada allegedly collaborated with the Residents on their work prior to "Santa Dog" and "Meet the Residents", and then disappeared. He resurfaced in the mid-1970s, returning from an Arctic expedition and bearing a sealed bottle of pure Arctic air; this served as inspiration for the "Eskimo" project.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Dealey Plaza is a city park in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas, Texas. It is sometimes called the "birthplace of Dallas". It was also the location of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963; 30 minutes after the shooting, Kennedy was pronounced dead at Parkland Memorial Hospital. The Dealey Plaza Historic District was named a National Historic Landmark on the 30th anniversary of the assassination, to preserve Dealey Plaza, street rights-of-way, and buildings and structures by the plaza visible from the assassination site, that have been identified as witness locations or as possible locations for the assassin.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: The Dealey Plaza Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1993 and designated a National Historic Landmark the same year. The former county courthouse is individually listed on the National Register and is also designated a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL) and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL). Additional properties within the district are also RTHLs. The following are contributing properties and other significant buildings within the historic district.:


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Dealey Plaza and all of the contributing buildings are part of the Westend Historic District (NRHP #78002918, 1978; Dallas Landmark Historic District #H/2, 1975) with the single exception of the U.S. Post Office Terminal Annex which is outside of the boundaries of that district. The Kennedy Memorial and Plaza is the only contributing property not in existence at the time of the assassination nor in view of its site.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Dealey Plaza was built on land donated by early Dallas philanthropist and businesswoman Sarah Horton Cockrell. It was the location of the first home built in Dallas, which also became the first courthouse and post office, the first store, and the first fraternal lodge. It is sometimes called the "birthplace of Dallas". The plaza was completed in 1940 as a WPA project on the west edge of downtown Dallas where three streets converge (Main Street, Elm Street, and Commerce Street) to pass under a railroad bridge known locally as the "triple underpass."


title: Dealey Plaza

text: The plaza is named for George Bannerman Dealey (1859–1946), a civic leader and early publisher of "The Dallas Morning News", who had campaigned for the area's revitalization. Monuments outlining the plaza honor previous prominent Dallas residents and predate President John F. Kennedy's visit by many years. The monument honoring President Kennedy, in the form of a cenotaph, is one block away.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Dealey Plaza is bounded on the south, east, and north sides by 100+ foot (30+ m) tall buildings. One of those buildings is the former Texas School Book Depository building, from which, both the Warren Commission and the House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded, Lee Harvey Oswald fired a rifle that killed President Kennedy; 30 minutes after the shooting, Kennedy died at Parkland Memorial Hospital. There is also a grassy knoll on the northwest side of the plaza. At the plaza's west perimeter is a triple underpass beneath a railroad bridge, under which the motorcade raced after the shots were fired.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Today, the plaza is typically visited daily by tourists. The Sixth Floor Museum now occupies the top two floors of the seven-story former Book Depository. Since 1989, more than six million people have visited the museum.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: The National Park Service designated Dealey Plaza a National Historic Landmark District on November 22, 1993, the 30th anniversary of JFK assassination, roughly encompassing the area between Pacific Avenue, Market and Jackson Streets and the former railroad tracks. Therefore, nothing of significance has been torn down or rebuilt in the immediate area. (A small plaque commemorating the assassination is located in the plaza.)


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Visitors to Dealey Plaza today will see street lights and street signs that were in use in 1963, though some have been moved to different locations and others removed entirely. Buildings immediately surrounding the plaza have not been changed since 1963, presenting a stark contrast to the ultra-modern Dallas skyline that rises behind it.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Over more than half-a-century, Elm Street has been resurfaced several times; street lane stripes have been relocated; sidewalk lamp posts have been moved and added; trees, bushes and hedges have grown; and some traffic sign locations have been changed, relocated or removed. On November 22, 2003, the 40th anniversary of JFK assassination, the city of Dallas approved construction project plans to restore Dealey Plaza to its exact appearance on November 22, 1963. The first phase of the restoration, which spent $700,000 for repair work and plumbing along Houston Streets, was completed on November 22, 2008, the 45th anniversary of JFK assassination.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: The grassy knoll is a small, sloping hill inside the plaza that became of interest following the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy. The knoll was above Kennedy and to his right (west and north) during the assassination on November 22, 1963.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: This north grassy knoll is adjacent to the former Texas School Book Depository building along the Elm Street abutment side street to the northeast, Elm Street, and a sidewalk to the south, a parking lot to the north and east and a railroad bridge atop the triple underpass convergence of Commerce, Main and Elm streets to the west.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Located near the north grassy knoll on November 22, 1963, there were several witnesses, three large traffic signposts, four sidewalk lamp posts, the John Neely Bryan north pergola concrete structure including its two enclosed shelters, a tool shed, one 3.3 foot (1 m) high concrete wall connected to each of the pergola shelters; ten tall, wide, low-hanging live oak trees; a five-foot (1.5 m) tall, wooden, cornered, stockade fenceline measured at approximately 169 feet (53.6 m) long; six street curb sewer openings, their sewer manholes and their interconnecting large pipes; and several 2 to 6 foot (0.6 to 1.8 m) tall bushes, trees and hedges.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: The term "grassy knoll" was first used to describe this area by reporter Albert Merriman Smith, known as Smitty, of UPI, who was riding in the press "pool car" following 150 to 200 yards behind Kennedy’s car and had use of the car's radio-telephone. In his second dispatch from the car just 25 minutes after the shooting, he said, "Some of the Secret Service agents thought the gunfire was from an automatic weapon fired to the right rear of the president's car, probably from a grassy knoll to which police rushed." These words were then repeated on national television by CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite in his second CBS bulletin on the shooting.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Smitty, who was the main UPI reporter covering the presidential motorcade and was seated in the front seat of the sixth car known as the White House Pool car or the "wire car", used a radiotelephone to file his report with the UPI office when shots had been fired at President Kennedy. Smith popularized the term "grassy knoll" and received the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for his reporting. After he filed his report which took several minutes, the radiotelephone went dead before the main Associated Press reporter Jack Bell, who was seated in the back seat near Smith, could file his report. Robert MacNeil, a White House reporter for NBC News who exited one of the two press buses immediately after the shots were fired, ran with some cops up the grassy knoll and over the fence but found no one there. He then entered the nearby book depository building to find a telephone to file his report.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: As the first shot was fired, Mary Moorman, who was with her friend Jean Hill as the two watched the motorcade pass, took a Polaroid picture of the grassy knoll with President Kennedy in the second car in the foreground: Moorman and Hill were close, only about 10 to 15 feet away. Abraham Zapruder's film contains footage of the two women near Kennedy's presidential motorcade but no footage of the grassy knoll. Associated Press used a copy of Moorman's polaroid photo in its reporting of the events at Dealy Plaza during JFK's assassination.


title: Dealey Plaza

text: Out of the 104 Dealey Plaza earwitness reports published by the Commission and elsewhere, 56 recorded testimony that they remembered hearing at least one shot fired from either the Depository or near the Houston/Elm Street intersection. 35 witnesses recorded testimony of at least one shot fired from either the grassy knoll or the triple underpass. Eight stated that they heard shots being fired from elsewhere, and five testified that the shots were fired from two different directions.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is the naval service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for defending the country against any sea-borne threats, and the protection of its sea lines of communications, that would compromise Singapore as a global trading hub. The RSN was formally established in 1967 and has since undergone a substantial modernisation, becoming the most powerful navy in Southeast Asia.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The RSN conducts operations with the Malaysian and Indonesian navies to combat piracy and terrorist threats in the crowded littoral waters of the Strait of Malacca and Singapore. It also jointly operates the Fokker 50 maritime patrol aircraft with its counterparts from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to provide air surveillance of the seaward approaches to Singapore, which is one of the busiest sealanes in the world. The RSN has engaged in international anti-piracy operations further abroad, partaking in the multinational Combined Task Force 151 off the Gulf of Aden.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Though numerically small in comparison to its much larger neighbours in terms of tonnage and manpower reserves, the RSN seeks to maintain a qualitative superiority over any adversary through the implementation of new technologies, fostering of alliances with extra-regional navies, and increased reliance on automation and unmanned assets. Bilateral exercises with foreign navies are held regularly.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: As an island nation, the RSN forms part of Singapore's first line of defence. Its stated mission objectives are to:


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Republic of Singapore Navy traces its origins to the Royal Navy in the 1930s with only two patrol craft. The Straits Settlements Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (SSRNVR) was established on 27 April 1934 and in 1941 became the Singaporean division of the Malayan Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (MRNVR) during World War II. The service received several 75' motor launches built locally by John I. Thornycroft & Company Shipyard in Tanjong Rhu: HMS "Pahlawan" and the first HMS "Panglima" in 1937; the latter would later be sunk during the fall of Singapore in February 1942. A new 90' motor vessel bearing the name "Panglima" was launched in 1944, but upon its transfer to the MRNVR in 1948, proved unsuited for tropical waters and began deteriorating rapidly.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: In 1948, the Malayan Force was raised by the Singapore government and was later granted the title of the Royal Malayan Navy in 1952 in recognition of its services in action during the Malayan Emergency. The third and final "Panglima" was launched in January 1956 to replace the second vessel. Being more technologically advanced than her predecessors, she became an indispensable part of the local fleet.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: On 16 September 1963, Singapore was admitted as a state of Malaysia under the terms of confederation and the Royal Malayan Navy was renamed the Royal Malaysian Navy. The Singapore division of the MRNVR was formally transferred from the command of the Royal Navy to the Malaysian Navy on 22 September 1963, becoming the Singapore Volunteer Force. During the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation, Singapore-based ships were charged with defending the southern border against infiltrators and saboteurs, and also undertook local minor engagements against the Indonesian Navy.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: On 9 August 1965, to form an independent republic. The Singapore Volunteer Force (SVF) became the "de facto" naval force of the new state, though it remained under the command of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Three ships remained in Singapore after separation: KD "Singapura", a captured Japanese minelayer; KD "Bedok", a patrol boat from Malaysia; and KD "Panglima", the former Royal Navy inshore patrol boat built in 1956. "Panglima" was recommissioned as a Singaporean ship on 1 January 1966. On 1 February, the service ceased to be under Malaysia and became the Singapore Naval Volunteer Force (SNVF); "Bedok" and "Singapura" were also recommissioned and the latter became a floating headquarters.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: A new naval ensign was hoisted at the Telok Ayer Basin for the first time on 5 May 1967 and is marked as the day of the Navy's official establishment. In September, the service was renamed the People's Defence Force – Sea and placed under the Sea Defence Command, with the command being thereafter renamed the Maritime Command in December. The name changes reflected the internal restructuring within the Singapore Armed Forces and the growing realization that maritime security was a crucial element to national security. Headquarters was shifted ashore to Pulau Belakang Mati in 1968. In order to develop local expertise in seamanship and naval engineering, 160 naval recruits underwent training by Royal New Zealand Navy instructors in 1969. At the same time, aspiring officers were sent overseas to learn from established navies in Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Maritime Command launched an expansion program with the objectives of combating sea robberies and smuggling, and improving seaward power projection. In June 1968, six "Independence"-class patrol crafts were purchased and commissioned between 1970 and 1972, marking the first purpose built ships the Navy possessed. Part of the urgency stemmed from British prime minister Harold Wilson's intention to withdraw British troops East of Suez by 1971, which would leave a security vacuum, though a smaller British presence eventually remained under the Five Power Defence Arrangements. Growing constraints and strategic need for a base located nearer to the strait was solved by the opening of Brani Naval Base in December 1974. The foresight was validated a few weeks later when terrorists from the Japanese Red Army attacked an oil complex on Pulau Bukom and hijacked the Laju ferry. Four vessels, RSS "Sea Hawk", RSS "Independence", RSS "Sovereignty" and RSS "Daring" together with the Marine Police, were able to surround the fleeing ferry and prevent it from escaping.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Colonel James Aeria would be the final commander of the Maritime Command. On 1 April 1975, the Maritime Command was renamed the Republic of Singapore Navy as part of the reorganisation of the Singapore Armed Forces into three distinct services, and has kept the name ever since.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The RSN was the first navy in the region to successfully fire a live anti-ship missile when RSS "Sea Wolf" fired two Gabriel missiles in March 1974. From 1975 to 1976, six "Sea Wolf"-class missile gunboats were commissioned, which proved vital during Operation Thunderstorm when they were deployed to patrol and apprehend the influx of boat people fleeing the fall of South Vietnam. In order to support sealift operations, six County-class tank landing ships were purchased from the United States; these were popularly referred to as dollars ships due to the price ($1) paid for each vessel. Two "Bluebird"-class minesweepers were also transferred from the United States to combat the threat of mine warfare within the narrow and shallow channels of the Singapore Strait. Prior to this, the SAF Diving Center had already been established in 1971 to train the first batch of frogman recruits in conducting underwater mine disposal operations. In 1975, the service was reformed as the Naval Diving Unit and based at Sembawang Camp, where it remains.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: During the latter half of the decade, the increased operational demands and rate of patrols led the Navy to seek three additional missile gunboats and an upgrade to the Harpoon missile for the existing fleet under Project Albatross. Due to budgetary constraints in the early 1980s, Defence Minister Howe Yoon Chong decided to allocate more funds to the Air Force for the acquisition of a squadron of F-16s; the fighter jets were deemed to possess a higher strategic strike value and capable of more diverse roles compared to ships. Howe claimed the Navy's function was best relegated to coastal defense and suggested mounting Oerlikon guns on towed barges as a replacement to guard the nation's maritime borders. Nevertheless, the reduced budget was still sufficient to commission twelve coastal patrol craft which freed the missile gunboats from daily patrols for more strategic operations.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: With the Navy being the lowest priority among the three services, it saw little hope of an expanded fleet with a larger stake in Singapore's defence and many people left the service. This created a "crisis of confidence" within the RSN in the next few years, which defence planners regarded as lacking a proper doctrine for existence beyond patrols and tackling illegal immigration. It was not until 1984 that naval officials convinced the government of the necessity of a seagoing fleet to secure the nation's sea lines of communication in the Malacca Strait and South China Sea, both of which lead to the Port of Singapore; a major contributor to the economy. To combat the growing technological obsolescence and decline in morale, the government launched the "Navy 2000" program. The service underwent an internal restructuring with the formation of the Coastal Command (COSCOM) in 1988 and the Fleet in 1989, formalizing the responsibilities of each class of ship. Between 1990 and 2001, the resurgent navy acquired six "Victory"-class missile corvettes, twelve "Fearless"-class patrol vessels, four "Endurance"-class landing ship tanks and also commissioned four secondhand "Challenger"-class submarines from Sweden to hone its underwater domain skills.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: In 1979, Malaysia had published a map laying claim to Pedra Branca, an offshore island controlled by Singapore. The resultant Pedra Branca dispute lasted 29 years until 2008 when the island was awarded to Singapore by the International Court of Justice, during which the Navy was heavily involved in patrols and maintained an active presence in the waters surrounding the island. In January 2003, RSS "Courageous" collided with a merchant vessel within the vicinity of Pedra Branca during a patrol, resulting in four casualties and the first ship to be stricken as a total loss. As a result of the accident, additional safety measures were implemented and the training program enhanced, including the requirement for all officers to better understand the maneuvering characteristics of their ship and take a COLREGs test every six months.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The RSN also participated in operations other than war within Southeast Asia and abroad. The Navy deployed its "Bedok"-class mine-countermeasure vessels to search the Musi River for SilkAir Flight 185; served as part of the Australian-led International Force East Timor to address the humanitarian and security crisis in the aftermath of the territory's referendum for independence in 1999; deployed three ships to provide humanitarian assistance and emergency aid to the Indonesian town of Meulaboh in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake; and was part of the Multi-National Force – Iraq coalition force maintaining maritime security around key Iraqi installations in the Persian Gulf.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Coastal Command was revamped in 2009 into the Maritime Security Task Force to improve coordination between national maritime agencies such as the Police Coast Guard and harbour authorities. Between 2007 and 2020, the RSN has introduced new "Archer"-class submarines, "Formidable"-class frigates and "Independence"-class littoral mission vessels to its fleet to enhance its deterrence amidst rising tensions in the surrounding seas. Unmanned assets such as the Specialised Marine Craft patrol boat and Protector USV have been commissioned to combat the personnel shortfall in Singapore due to falling birthrates.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The RSN has engaged in multilateral anti-piracy operations in the Malacca Strait with neighbouring nations; and in the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa under the multinational naval Combined Task Force 151, taking command of the task force thrice; It participated in both the search for MH Flight 370 in the Gulf of Thailand and QZ Flight 8501 in the Karimata Strait in 2014. In an analysis of the SAF humanitarian response to Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen noted that the disruption of communications on the ground underscored the need for a platform which could provide "centralised ability for command and control" in the air.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The RSN celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017 and hosted an international fleet review, with twenty nations participating.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: In October 2018, Malaysia extended its Johor Bahru port limits past its 1979 maritime claims into waters off the reclaimed Tuas sector which Singapore claims as its own. Singapore responded by extending its port limits to overlap with Malaysia's new port limits. As Malaysia deployed elements of the Malaysia Coast Guard and government ships to enforce their claims, the RSN's littoral mission vessels were stationed on location 24/7 with the Police Coast Guard. Both side eventually suspended the overlapping port limits and withdrew from the area following successful negotiations.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Navy underwent a comprehensive restructuring in June 2020 which dissolved all the existing squadrons, reorganizing each class of ship into its separate flotilla. The Maritime Security Task Force was restructured, with the newly created Sea Security Group and Force Protection Group placed under it.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Navy launched its first newly built "Invincible"-class submarine in 2019, with the second and third submarines RSS Impeccable and RSS Illustrious launched on 13 December 2022. All three submarines will be expected to be commissioned in 2023, with an operationalization date set for 2024. The last submarine RSS Inimitable remains in construction. Procurement plans are in process for a multi-role combat vessel (MRCV) and joint multi mission ship (JMSS). The MRCV will act as a 'mothership' for unmanned assets and host mine-countermeasure Venus 16 USVs, while the JMSS will increase the RSN's aviation capabilities in supporting disaster relief operations. A new class of patrol vessels to operate alongside the existing littoral mission vessels are to enter service in 2026.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Republic of Singapore Navy is led by the Chief of Navy (CNV), who reports directly to the Chief of Defence Force (CDF). The CNV is responsible for the RSN's overall operational capabilities and administration. The organisational chart shows the peacetime administrative chain of command with five formations: the Fleet, Maritime Security Command, Naval Logistics Command, Naval Diving Unit, and the Maritime Training and Doctrine Command.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Fleet is responsible for operations beyond the Singapore Strait and represents the main strike arm of the navy. Its frigates and missile corvettes are capable of conducting anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine operations with their equipped armaments and sensors. Its landing ships tank and civil resource vessels provide sea transportation and logistics support overseas, while the submarines force provides a subsurface capability for the navy.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) is a SAF-level standing task force formed after the restructuring of Coastal Command. Its role is to ensure Singapore's maritime security and act as a co-ordinating agency for all national maritime agencies to allow for the seamless execution of maritime security operations.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Naval Diving Unit is charged with "explosive ordnance disposal, underwater mine demolition and commando-type missions". Its personnel are considered among the elite forces of Singapore.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The Naval Logistics Command (NALCOM) is responsible for up-keeping and planning the maintenance schedules of ships and the equipping of supplies and assets. It also conducts weapons readiness checks on ships and works closely with the Defence Science and Technology Agency and ST Electronics.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: As with the army and air force, all officers of the navy are trained and commissioned at the Officer Cadet School with their interservice counterparts. As midshipmen, part of their training involves being deployed four weeks at sea with the regular fleet to hone their skills in leadership, navigation and basic seamanship.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Enlisted specialists and regular military experts (ratings) are instructed in their specialized domains at the Naval Military Experts Institute, under the Maritime Training and Doctrine Command (MTDC), based at Changi Naval Base. This training consists of all the key aspects of the duties the sailors are expected to perform onboard the ships. This includes basic firefighting and damage control skills, rope handling and seamanship skills as well as shiphandling which is done through a ship simulator allowing trainees to practice their watchkeeping skills inside a safe, controlled environment. The enlisted specialists and military experts undergo a rigorous and realistic Summative Exercise (SUMEX) at the end of their course prior to joining the operational ships. Some of the known activities from the SUMEX are a physical exercise set known as "warrior circuit", damage control exercises meant to simulate damage control and firefighting onboard the ships, weapons handling drills for firearms such as the General Purpose Machine Gun, small boat threat drills, a 1 kilometre swim and a 5 kilometre run. In addition to these assessments, learners from combat vocations are required to undergo an assessment at the Naval Tactical Trainer where they are tasked with operating simulation consoles and work in teams for simulated warfare scenarios. A patch commemorating the SUMEX is awarded to the newly graduated sailors to mark the completion of their training.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The RSN has also partnered with ST Education and Training to operate the training ship STET "Polaris" since 2010. "Polaris" was specially constructed with a "dual bridge" to facilitate training requirements for two navigation teams to operate simultaneously and can carry 30 trainees and instructors; the ship was named after the North Star, which mariners had traditionally used as a navigational reference point in ancient times.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: While submarine training was initially conducted in Sweden by the Royal Swedish Navy, training for submariners are now conducted locally in Singapore. Submariners are trained at the Submarine Training Centre (STC) also known as RSS "Challenger", named after the first submarine acquired by the RSN. It is located in Changi Naval Base and is designed to be a state-of-the-art facility featuring submarine simulators in order to enhance the realism and effectiveness of submarine training. Training in the simulators can be up to several days in order to simulate actual deployments when the submariners are training in the STC. Prospective submariners are put through a nine-month-long course which consists of a series of tough tests in order to ensure that every qualified submariner is able to meet operational requirements at sea. The simulators housed in the facility are known as the Submarine Steering and Diving Trainer (SSDT) and Submarine Combat Tactical Trainer (SCTT). The two simulators allow the flotilla to conduct training that closely simulates at-sea conditions without the logistical costs involved in deploying submarines out at sea. The SSDT is designed based on the Archer-class submarine and trains the helmsman to steer the submarine as well as the diving officer in diving the submarine while allowing the “Officer of the Watch” to oversee the entire process. The SCTT is designed to train the submariners in combat operations, which consists of four consoles modelled after those installed onboard the actual submarines. These are used to train the crew in submarine combat operations such as analysis, surveillance, command and control, and weapons control. Singapore is also known to have sent prospective submarine Commanding Officers for the Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Command Course as well as the German Navy Submarine Commanding Officer Course. A training suite for crew members of the new Invincible class submarines is now being developed, which is planned to operationalise by 2024. Like the previous simulators before it, it will consist of the combat trainer as well as diving and steering trainer among others. It will additionally feature a virtual procedural trainer that replicates the submarine with all its more than 12 million parts, that offers both physical and tactile training opportunities for the crew members while ashore.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Enlistees to the Naval Diving Unit are selected based on their eyesight and medical fitness and trained at Frogman School located within Sembawang Camp. Trainees are required to pass a vocational assessment prior to beginning nine weeks of basic military training. Those who qualify then undergo the twenty weeks Combat Diver Course where they are taught dive theory and must qualify for drown proofing, pool competency and survival skills requirements.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The multi-role stealth frigates entered service with the RSN in 2007 and are derivatives of the French Navy's . The frigates are key information nodes and fighting units, and were, at time of launch, "by far the most advanced surface combatants in Southeast Asia" with a special surface-to-air missile configuration which combines the Thales Herakles radar with the Sylver A50 launcher and a mix of MBDA Aster 15 and 30 missiles. Other armaments include Boeing Harpoon missiles and an OTO Melara 76 mm gun for surface defence.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Equipped with Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopters, an international derivative of the Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk. These naval helicopters feature anti-surface and anti-submarine combat systems, extending the ship's own surveillance and over-the-horizon targeting and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The naval helicopters are part of the 123 squadron of the RSAF and piloted by air force pilots. Two more S-70B helicopters were ordered in February 2013.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The lead ship of the class, RSS "Formidable" was built overseas in Lorient, France and commissioned locally on 5 May 2007, marking the 40th anniversary of the RSN. The final two ships, RSS "Stalwart" and RSS "Supreme" were commissioned on 16 January 2009. The six frigates form the First Flotilla of the RSN.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The "Independence"-class littoral mission vessel is a class of eight surface platforms succeeding the "Fearless" class. In January 2013, the Ministry of Defence awarded ST Engineering a contract to build and design eight vessels. A subsidiary of the company, ST Marine was charged with building the ships at Benoi Yard and integrating the combat systems supplied by the group's electronics arm, ST Electronics. The class was designed with the "lean manning" concept to facilitate a smaller crew complement to reflect the declining birthrate in Singapore, with increased levels of automation and remote monitoring systems. This has resulted in its combat information center, machinery control room, and bridge being co-located in a single location known as the integrated command center. Its modularity also allows the ship to deploy unmanned and mine-countermeasure systems or be reconfigured to support disaster-relief operations. The ships have been sent on overseas deployments. The last three ships of the class were commissioned in January 2020.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The littoral mission vessels were formerly under 182 Squadron until June 2020 with the inauguration of the Maritime Security Command. The eight "Independence"-class littoral mission vessels now form the Second Flotilla of the RSN.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The tank landing ships are the largest class of ships in the RSN. They were designed and built locally by ST Marine to replace the old County-class tank landing ships (LST). Each ship is fitted with a well dock that can accommodate four landing craft and a flight deck that can accommodate two medium lift helicopters. While the RSN describes the "Endurance" class as LSTs, they lack the beaching capability traditionally associated with LSTs, and their well docks and flight decks qualify the "Endurance" class more as amphibious transport docks.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The ships provide sea transportation for personnel and equipment for SAFs overseas training, as well as a training platform for RSN's midshipmen. RSS "Endurance" became the first RSN ship to circumnavigate the globe when it participated in the 2000 International Naval Review in New York City. The ships are also actively involved in humanitarian and disaster relief operations, notably in East Timor, the Persian Gulf, the tsunami-hit Indonesian province of Aceh and most recently, disappearance of Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501. The four ships form the Third Flotilla of the RSN.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The RSN acquired mine countermeasure capabilities as early as 1975, when the USN's and were reactivated by the RSN's engineers and technicians in California. The "Bluebird"-class coastal minesweepers were commissioned as RSS "Jupiter" and RSS "Mercury".


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: These two ships were eventually replaced by the mine countermeasures vessels. The first ship, RSS "Bedok", was built by Karlskronavarvet in Sweden based on the design. The remaining three ships were prefabricated in Sweden and transferred to Singapore for final assembly by ST Marine. The ships are constructed of glass reinforced plastic to maintain low magnetic and acoustic signatures, and are fitted with Voith Schneider Propellers, giving it the highest manoeuvrability in the navy.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The RSN also operates the Protector unmanned surface vehicles. They were deployed together with the "Endurance"-class landing ships tank to the North Persian Gulf for peacekeeping operations in 2005, where they performed surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as force protection duties for more than eight hours at a go.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: In 1995, the RSN acquired a from the Swedish Navy and rechristened it the . Another three were transferred in 1997, making them Singapore's first underwater platforms. As the submarines were designed for operations in the Baltic Sea, various modifications were required to suit them to tropical waters. A comprehensive tropicalisation refitting programme was implemented for all four submarines, which involved the installation of air conditioning, marine growth protection systems and corrosion-resistant piping.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: It was believed that the "Challenger" class were purchased to develop the required submarine operations expertise before selecting a modern class of submarines to replace them, since all the boats were then over 40 years old. RSS "Challenger" and RSS "Centurion" were retired from service in 2015.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The submarines were also former Swedish Navy combatants and known as the . In November 2005, an agreement was signed with Kockums for the same tropicalisation modifications for two submarines. Amidst the refitting process, an air independent propulsion system was installed, which necessitated the cutting apart of the submarine's hull to fit new components. RSS "Archer" was relaunched on 16 June 2009 and recommissioned on 2 December 2011, with her sister boat RSS "Swordsman" being commissioned on 30 April 2013. The AIP modification enables the submarines to have longer submerged endurance and lower noise signature, enhancing its stealth capability. The advanced sonar system is capable of detecting contacts at a further distance, while the torpedo system has a better target acquisition capability, which allows the submarines to engage contacts at a further range.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: An upgrade program was conducted between 2016 and early 2019, which involved the installation of CM010 optronic periscopes and new combat management, sonar and countermeasure systems.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The , also known as Type 218SG, is a submarine class ordered from Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Two "Invincible"-class submarines were procured in November 2013 and another two in May 2017. Several German industry experts commented then that the project would cost about one billion Euros and take six years to complete, with the first submarine expected to be delivered in 2020.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The diesel electric submarines will have 50 per cent longer endurance, more firepower, more capable sensors and advanced automation than the existing fleet of RSN submarines. Armed with eight torpedo tubes and manned by a crew of 28, they can travel at a surface speed of more than 10 knots and a submerged speed of more than 15 knots. These submarines are particularly customized for Singapore's shallow and busy waters.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The first of four, RSS "Invincible", was launched on 18 February 2019. She will undergo sea trials in Germany before delivery in 2022. The second and third boat, RSS "Impeccable" and RSS "Illustrious" were launched on 13 December 2022, expected to be delivered in 2023. The remaining one is scheduled to follow by 2024. The "Invincible" and "Archer"-class submarines are projected to replace the "Challenger"-class afterwards.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: All submarines, regardless of class, form the Seventh Flotilla of the RSN. The RSN also operates the submarine support and rescue vessel .


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: In 1983, the RSN ordered six corvettes from Friedrich Lürssen Werft of Germany, with the first being built in Germany and remaining five locally by ST Marine. The corvettes represented a strategic change in Singapore's defence posture as the Navy sought to redefine its purpose to be "more than a coastguard" and project power in the region for deterrence purposes; they were the first ships in the RSN to have an anti-submarine capability, and remain the fastest ships in the fleet with a speed in excess of 30 knots. A244-S torpedoes were reportedly acquired to counter the threat of an increased number of submarines passing through the Malacca Strait, with Soviet submarines having been tracked passing through entirely submerged. The first three ships were commissioned in August 1990 and the remaining three in May 1991.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The corvettes have been continuously upgraded to incorporate new technologies and better sea keeping capabilities. Two sets of 8-cell Barak I were installed in 1996 as part of a general refit. A life extension program between 2009 and 2013 redesigned the mast to incorporate new sensors, overhauled the combat management system, and added the ability for the ship to launch a single ScanEagle UAV for remote surveillance without the need to approach a target. The anti-submarine torpedoes and variable depth sonar detectors were removed during the refit. The six corvettes form the Eighth Flotilla of the RSN.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The "Victory"-class corvettes are projected to be replaced by six multi-role combat vessels by 2030, with the first ship to be delivered in 2025.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The "Sentinel"-class maritime security and response vessels (MSRV) are four refurbished "Fearless"-class patrol vessels. The refurbishment plan was announced in March 2020 in response to the increase of sea robberies within the region, and foreign intrusions of Singapore territorial waters. As part of the refit, non-lethal LRAD and laser warning systems were added to increase operational flexibility, while fenders were incorporated into the hull to enable quicker alongside operations of suspicious vessels. The forward part of the bridge was also reinforced with ballistic-resistant armour.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The first two vessels MSRV "Sentinel" and MSRV "Guardian" entered operational service on 26 January 2021, with the latter two MSRV "Protector" and MSRV "Bastion" on 20 January 2022. Other than the MSRVs, the flotilla will also operate two tugboats, and will operate new purpose-built vessels from 2026. The ships form the Maritime Security and Response Flotilla of the RSN.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The "Sea Wolf"-class missile gunboats were acquired in 1968 and based on the TNC 45 design from Fredrich Lürssen Werft. The first two gunboats - RSS "Sea Wolf" and RSS "Sea Lion" - were constructed in West Germany in 1972, while the remaining four were constructed locally by Singapore Shipbuilding and Engineering, with all six ships being commissioned by 1976. The gunboats were initially equipped with Israeli-manufactured anti-ship Gabriel missiles and Bofors guns. "Sea Wolf" fired the first missile by the RSN in March 1972.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: As new technology became available, a number of upgrading programmes were initiated to increase their strike capability and sophistication. Between 1986 and 1988, they were upgraded to launch Boeing Harpoon (SSM) surface-to-surface missiles, and in 1994, the Bofors gun was replaced with Mistral surface-to-air (SAM) missiles. The continuous upgrades to the gunboats' armaments and sensors made them regarded as being at the forefront of naval warfare technology between the 1980s and 1990s.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The gunboats engaged in numerous exercises with foreign navies and visited many port of calls throughout their lifespan. On 13 May 2008, all six gunboats were retired at a sunset decommissioning ceremony held at Changi Naval Base following 33 years of service.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Between the 1970s and 1990s, the RSN operated and coastal patrol crafts. They were gradually replaced by the patrol vessels built locally by ST Marine to replace the aging coastal patrol craft, with all ships in commission by August 1989. The first six vessels of the "Fearless" class were armed for anti-submarine warfare missions and placed under the Fleet as 189 Squadron, with the remaining six being allocated to 182 Squadron under Coastal Command. was badly damaged in a collision with a container ship in the Singapore Strait in January 2003 and removed from service.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: 189 Squadron was subsequently transferred to Coastal Command in January 2005, placing all eleven ships under the same formation; the anti-submarine suite was also gradually removed as the RSN refocused its ASW capability on other platforms. The eleven patrol vessels formed the combined 182/189 Squadron until May 2016 when the first "Independence"-class littoral mission vessel completed its sea trials; 189 Squadron was subsequently subsumed into 182 Squadron.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: On 11 December 2020, the final two patrol vessels RSS "Gallant" and RSS "Freedom" were decommissioned. Four vessels of the class were converted into "Sentinel"-class maritime security and response vessels.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Tuas Naval Base (TNB) is located at the western tip of Singapore and occupies 0.28 km (0.11 mi) of land. It was officially opened on 2 September 1994 by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. For about two decades, Brani Naval Base was the RSN's only base. An expansion of the fleet in the early 1980s meant that more space was needed for the fleet and its shore infrastructure. However, this was not possible as the land around Brani was reserved for use by the port authority to develop container facilities. As a result, Tuas was selected as the site for a new naval base.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Better utilisation of space at TNB resulted in two and a half times more berthing space than Brani, even though TNB only has a shoreline of 850 m (0.5 mi). Provision was also made for recreational facilities. Automation was incorporated into the design of TNB to reduce manpower requirements, such as mechanical ramps for the loading and unloading of vehicles and an automatic storage and retrieval system. It also has a floating dock which can lift 600 tonnes and transfer a ship from sea to land to facilitate repairs and maintenance.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The base has since been enclosed to the west by land reclamation in Tuas South. The missile corvettes, patrol vessels, littoral mission vessels and mine counter-measures vessels are based at TNB.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Changi Naval Base (CNB) is the latest naval facility of the RSN and was built to replace Brani Naval Base. Located on 1.28 km (0.50 mi) of reclaimed land at the eastern tip of Singapore, it was officially opened on 21 May 2004 by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Its 6.2 km (3.9 mi) berthing space can accommodate an aircraft carrier and is often used by visiting ships of the USN.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: Automation was incorporated into the design of CNB to reduce manpower requirements. It has an automated underground ammunition depot that allows ammunition to be loaded onto the ships and an automated warehouse system to store items. The base has a fibre optic broadband network for information management. The base was also designed to be environment-friendly, with small-scale wind turbines powering the lights along the breakwaters at night. Conventional roof construction materials were substituted by thin film solar panels and the solar energy generated lights the base. In addition, seawater is used in the air-conditioning system.


title: Republic of Singapore Navy

text: The submarines, frigates and landing ships tank are based at CNB. Co-located in CNB is the Naval Military Experts Institute, also known as RSS "Panglima"—named in honour of the first ship of the navy.


title: Himouto! Umaru-chan

text: Umaru Doma is a high school girl living with her older brother Taihei. At school, Umaru appears to be the ideal student with good looks, top grades and many talents. However, she transforms into a kid-sized layabout and spends time at home feeding her video game and food addiction, much to Taihei's dismay. Throughout the series, Umaru uses her alternative personality to make friends with others, while at home she throws tantrums about Taihei not buying her things.


title: Himouto! Umaru-chan

text: The manga first appeared in Shueisha's monthly magazine "Miracle Jump" in 2012 for two chapters: first in the 10th issue on August 16 and again in the 11th issue on October 16. It was serialized in "Weekly Young Jump" from March 14, 2013. A total of twelve "tankōbon" volumes were published. A spin-off focused on Nana Ebina, titled that is currently running on Niconico Seiga website and other platforms after ranked first on the website's popularity poll. Seven Seas Entertainment released the manga in English. The manga ended serialization on November 9, 2017. A sequel manga titled "Himōto! Umaru-chan G" began serialization on November 30, 2017 and ended on April 19, 2018.


title: Himouto! Umaru-chan

text: An anime television series adaptation is produced by Doga Kobo. The series was directed by Masahiko Ohta and written by Takashi Aoshima, with character design by Aya Takano and sound direction by Yasunori Ebina. It was broadcast on the Asahi Broadcasting Corporation in Japan from July 9 to September 24, 2015, and was simulcast worldwide by Crunchyroll. The opening theme is performed by Aimi Tanaka, while the ending theme is performed by Tanaka, Akari Kageyama, Haruka Shiraishi and Yurina Furukawa. The series is licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks. An original video animation was bundled with the manga's seventh volume on October 19, 2015, with another to be bundled with the tenth volume of the manga in Q2 2017. In the "Weekly Young Jump" magazine's 20th issue of 2017, a second season of the anime series titled "Himouto! Umaru-chan R" was announced for fall 2017 with the same cast. The opening theme is "Nimensei Ura Omote Life!" (にめんせい☆ウラオモテライフ！) performed by Tanaka. The ending theme is "Umarun Taisou" (うまるん体操) performed by Sisters (妹S), the voice actresses of the four main girls. The second season was simulcast on Anime Strike in the United States, on Hidive outside of the US, and on AnimeLab in Australia and New Zealand. Sentai Filmworks has announced on September 27, 2017 that they have licensed "Himouto! Umaru-chan R." In the UK, MVM Films announced they had licensed "Himouto! Umaru-chan R". In the Philippines, "Umaru-chan" was broadcast in Tagalog on the Hero and Yey! pay TV channels.


title: Himouto! Umaru-chan

text: A PlayStation Vita sister-raising simulation game developed by FuRyu, titled , was released on December 3, 2015.


title: Himouto! Umaru-chan

text: The manga had sold 2.2 million copies in November 2015. It had sold 2.7 million copies by March 2017.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The city's population was 18,899 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth-most populous city in Maine, and third-least populous state capital in the United States after Montpelier, Vermont, and Pierre, South Dakota.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Located on the Kennebec River at the head of tide, it is the principal city in the Augusta-Waterville Micropolitan Statistical Area and home to the University of Maine at Augusta.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The area was first explored by the English of the short-lived Popham Colony in September 1607. 21 years later, English settlers from the Plymouth Colony settled in the area in 1628 as part of a trading post on the Kennebec River. The settlement was known by its Native American name "Cushnoc" (or Coussinoc or Koussinoc), meaning "head of the tide." Fur trading was at first profitable, but because of Native uprisings and declining revenues, Plymouth Colony sold the Kennebec Patent in 1661. Cushnoc would remain unoccupied for the next 75 years.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The area around Cushnoc was inhabited by the Kennebec, a band of the larger Abenaki nation. During the 17th century, they were on friendly terms with the English settlers in the region.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: A hotbed of Abenaki hostility toward British settlements was located further up the Kennebec at Norridgewock. In 1722, the tribe and its allies attacked Fort Richmond (now Richmond) and destroyed Brunswick. In response, English forces sacked Norridgewock in 1724 during Dummer's War, when the English gained tentative control of the Kennebec.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: During the height of the French and Indian War, in 1754, the English colonists built a blockhouse named Fort Western at Cushnoc on the eastern bank of the Kennebec River. It was intended as a supply depot for Fort Halifax upriver, as well as a regional defense from French attack. Later, during the American Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold and his 1,100 troops would use Fort Western as a staging area before continuing their journey up the Kennebec to the Battle of Quebec.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Cushnoc was incorporated as part of Hallowell in 1771. Known as "the Fort", it was set off and incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court in February 1797 as Harrington. In August, however, the name was changed to Augusta after Pamela Augusta Dearborn, daughter of Henry Dearborn. In 1799, it was designated as the county seat for the newly created Kennebec County.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Maine became a state in 1820 as a result of the Missouri Compromise. Augusta was designated as its capital in 1827, over the current capital of Portland, and rival communities Brunswick and Hallowell. The Maine State Legislature continued meeting in Portland, however, until the completion of the Maine State House in 1832, designed by Charles Bulfinch. Augusta was incorporated as a city in 1849. After being named the state capital and the introduction of new industry, the city flourished. In 1840 and 1850, the city ranked among the 100 largest urban populations in the country. During the next decade, however, the city was quickly bypassed by rapidly growing metropolises in the Midwest.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Excellent soil provided for agriculture, and water power from streams provided for the industry. In 1837, a dam was built across the Kennebec where the falls drop 15  feet at the head of a tide. By 1838, 10 sawmills were contracted. With the arrival of the Kennebec & Portland Railroad in 1851, Augusta became an even more productive mill town. In 1883, the property of A. & W. Sprague Company was purchased by the Edwards Manufacturing Company, which erected extensive brick mills for manufacturing cotton textiles. They imported cotton from the South for processing and export to Europe. In the late 19th century, a paper and pulp plant was constructed.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Other Augusta firms produced lumber, sash, doors, window shutters, broom handles, stone cutters' tools, shoes, headstones, ice and furniture. The city developed as a publishing and shipping center. Today, government and post-secondary education are important businesses.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Since the mid-eighteenth century, there has been a military presence in Augusta. Fort Western has not had troops garrisoned there since the 1790s, but in 1828, the U.S. Government built an arsenal to protect their interests from Britain. During the Civil War, Augusta was a rendezvous point for Union soldiers traveling to the front. Many of the soldiers camped on the green in front of the capitol building. In 1862, Camp E.D. Keyes was established in the northwestern portion of the city.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: During World War I, Camp Keyes was used as a mobilization and training camp for soldiers. The camp eventually became a headquarters for the Maine National Guard. In 1929, the state legislature approved the placement of the Augusta State Airport next to the camp. As the airport grew, the use of the camp as a training facility was no longer possible. Today, it is still used for administrative and logistical purposes by the National Guard.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: In the 19th century, Augusta got a regular steamboat service and the railroad. The city installed gas lights in 1859. A telephone service was available in 1880 and a local hospital in 1898. In the early 20th century, Augusta built two movie houses and a film production studio.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: For much of Augusta's history, the central business district was on and near Water Street on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The street, laid out in the late 1700s, was the location of the area's commercial and industrial life. Many fires damaged this concentrated area, including one in 1865 that destroyed nearly 100 buildings. In 1890, the first trolley line began operation down Water Street, connecting Augusta with Gardiner and Hallowell to the south.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: In 1932, buses replaced the trolley line. With the completion of the Maine Turnpike and Interstate 95 in 1955, local commercial developments began to move away from Water Street and closer to the highway. Among the results was a storefront vacancy rate downtown of about 60 percent.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Since the late 2000s, there has been a renewed and ongoing focus by city officials, the Augusta Downtown Alliance, and private developers to revitalize the downtown area.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Augusta is located at , making it the easternmost state capital in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Augusta is drained by Bond's Brook, Woromontogus Stream and the Kennebec River.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The city is crossed by Interstate 95, U.S. Route 201, State Route 11, U.S. Route 202, State Route 9, State Route 3, State Route 100, State Route 27, State Route 8, State Route 104, and State Route 105.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Augusta borders the towns of Manchester to its west, Sidney and Vassalboro to its north, Windsor to its east, Chelsea to its south, and the city of Hallowell to its southwest.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Augusta's climate is classified as a humid continental climate (Köppen: "Dfb"). Summers are typically warm, rainy, and humid, while winters are cold, windy, and snowy. Spring and fall are usually mild, but conditions are widely varied, depending on wind direction and jet stream positioning.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The hottest month is July, with an average high temperature of . The coldest month is January, with an average low of . Most snowfall occurs from December through March. There is usually little or no snow in April and November, and snow is rare in May and October.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: As of the census of 2010, there were 19,136 people, 8,802 households, and 4,490 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,756 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.1% White, 1.1% African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: There were 8,802 households, of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.0% were non-families. 39.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.76.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The median age in the city was 43.2 years. 18.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26% were from 25 to 44; 29.4% were from 45 to 64; and 18% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: As of the census of 2000, there were 18,560 people, 8,565 households, and 4,607 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,480 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.21% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: There were 8,565 households, out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.2% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.77.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The median income for a household in the city was $29,921, and the median income for a family was $42,230. Males had a median income of $31,209 versus $22,548 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,145. About 11.4% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Augusta is governed by a mayor and council-manager system. The City Council oversees all City government activities and establishes the legislative policies of the city, adopts and amends ordinances and local laws, appropriates municipal resources, and sets the tax rate. The City Manager serves as the chief executive officer and purchasing agent of the city. The mayor presides at all meetings of the council, and is recognized ceremonially as the official head of the city.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The city maintains a police department; it is remarkable for not having had an officer killed in the line of duty for over a century.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Augusta has historically been Democratic. In the 2012 presidential election, Barack Obama received 5,192 of the votes to Mitt Romney's 3,339.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: The city has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since George H. W. Bush in the Republican landslide of 1988. Democrats are the majority political affiliation in all four voting wards. There are more voters who are not enrolled than there are registered Republicans in the City.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: There are five public schools, one private school, and one college (the University of Maine at Augusta). There are two public libraries in Augusta.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Farrington, Gilbert, Hussey, and Lincoln are the four public elementary schools that are located in the city.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Cony serves students in grades 7–12 from Augusta and the surrounding towns; Cony comprises Cony Middle School and Cony High School.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Augusta is part of the , and receives most of that market's channels. WCBB channel 10, licensed to Augusta, is the local television outlet for the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.


title: Augusta, Maine

text: Interstate 95 runs by the western outskirts of Augusta. U.S. 202 runs east-west through the city. U.S. 201 runs north-south through the city.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The Witch of Endor ( "baʿălaṯ-ʾōḇ bəʿĒyn Dōr", "she who owns the "ʾōḇ" of Endor") is a woman who, according to the Hebrew Bible, was consulted by Saul to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel. Saul wished to receive advice on defeating the Philistines in battle, after prior attempts to consult God through sacred lots and other means had failed. When summoned, however, the spirit of Samuel only delivers a prophecy of doom against Saul. This event occurs in the First Book of Samuel; it is also mentioned in the deuterocanonical Book of Sirach.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The woman of the story is called in biblical Hebrew אֵשֶׁת בַּעֲלַת־אֹוב בְּעֵין דֹּור ("ʾēšeṯ baʿălaṯ-ʾōḇ bəʿĒyn Dōr"), "a woman, possessor of an "’ōḇ" at Endor". The word אֹ֖וב "’ōḇ" has been suggested by Harry Hoffner to refer to a ritual pit for summoning the dead from the netherworld, based on parallels in other Near Eastern and Mediterranean cultures. The word has cognates in other regional languages (cf. Sumerian "ab", Akkadian "âbu", Hittite "a-a-bi", Ugaritic "ib") and the witch of Endor's ritual has parallels in Babylonian and Hittite magical texts as well as the Odyssey. Other suggestions for a definition of "’ōḇ" include a familiar spirit, a talisman, or a wineskin, in reference to ventriloquism.


title: Witch of Endor

text: In the Greek Septuagint, she is called ἐγγαστρίμυθος ἐν Αενδωρ "engastrímythos en Aendōr", while the Latin Vulgate has "pythonem in Aendor", both terms referencing then-contemporary pagan oracles.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The witch also claims to see "elohim arising" ("elohim" is plural but takes a singular verb) from the ground, using the word typically translated as "god(s)" to refer to the spirit of the dead. This is also paralleled by the use of the Akkadian cognate word "ilu" "god" in a similar fashion.


title: Witch of Endor

text: When the prophet Samuel dies, he is buried in Ramah (1 Sam 25:1; 28:3). Saul, the king of Israel, seeks advice from God in choosing a course of action against the assembled forces of the Philistine army. He receives no answer from dreams, prophets, or the Urim and Thummim. Having previously driven out all necromancers and magicians from Israel, Saul searches for a witch anonymously and is told one is living in the village of Endor. Saul disguises himself and crosses through enemy lines to visit her, asking her to raise Samuel. The woman at first refuses, on account of Saul's edict against sorcery, but Saul assures her she will not be punished.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The woman summons a spirit, and when it appears she works out who Saul is and screams, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!" Saul assures her no harm will come to her, and asks what she sees. She says she sees "elohim" (plural word gods) rising (singular verb). Saul asks what "he" looks like, and she describes an old man wrapped in a robe. Saul bows down to the spirit, but is apparently unable to see it himself. The spirit complains of being disturbed, berates Saul for disobeying God, and predicts Saul's downfall. The living Samuel has already said Saul would have his kingship removed, but this spirit adds that Israel's army will be defeated, and Saul and his sons will be "with me" tomorrow. Saul collapses in terror; the woman comforts him, and prepares him a meal of a fatted calf to restore his strength.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The following day, the Israelite army is defeated as prophesied: Saul is wounded by the Philistines, and commits suicide by falling on his sword. (Later, a young Amalekite hoping to impress David will falsely claim he delivered the death blow, and David will execute him.) In 1 Chronicles, it is stated that Saul's death was, in part, a punishment for seeking advice from a medium rather than from God.


title: Witch of Endor

text: In the Septuagint (2nd century BC) the woman is described as a ventriloquist, possibly reflecting the consistent view of the Alexandrian translators that demons do not exist. On the other hand, the Hebrew Book of Sirach, composed in the same period, represents it as a fact that Samuel prophesied to Saul after his death. Josephus, writing in the 1st century AD, also appears to find the story completely credible.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The "Yalkut Shimoni" (11th century) identifies the anonymous witch as the mother of Abner. Based upon the witch's claim to have seen something, and Saul having heard a disembodied voice, the "Yalkut" suggests that necromancers are able to see the spirits of the dead but are unable to hear their speech, while the person for whom the deceased was summoned hears the voice but fails to see anything.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The Church Fathers and some modern Christian writers have debated the theological issues raised by this text, which would appear at first sight to affirm that it is possible (though forbidden) for humans to summon the spirits of the dead by magic.


title: Witch of Endor

text: King James, in his philosophical treatise "Daemonologie" (1597), rejected the theory that the witch was performing an act of ventriloquism, but also denied that she had truly summoned the spirit of Samuel. He wrote that the Devil is permitted at times to take on the likeness of the saints, citing 2 Corinthians 11:14, which says that "Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light". James describes the witch of Endor as "Saul's Pythonese", likening her to the ancient Greek oracle Pythia. He asserts the reality of witchcraft, arguing that if such things were not possible, they would not be prohibited in Scripture:


title: Witch of Endor

text: Other medieval glosses to the Bible also suggested that what the witch summoned was not the ghost of Samuel, but a demon taking his shape or an illusion crafted by the witch. Martin Luther, who believed that the dead were unconscious, read that it was "the Devil's ghost", whereas John Calvin read that "it was not the real Samuel, but a spectre."


title: Witch of Endor

text: Antoine Augustin Calmet briefly mentions the witch of Endor in his "Treatise on the Apparitions of Spirits" (1759), among other scriptural proofs of "the reality of magic". He acknowledges that this interpretation is disputed, and says that he will deduce nothing from the passage "except that this woman passed for a witch, [and] that Saul esteemed her such".


title: Witch of Endor

text: Since this passage states the witch made a loud cry in fear when she saw Samuel's spirit, some interpreters reject the suggestion that the witch was responsible for summoning Samuel's spirit, claiming instead that this was the work of God. Joyce Baldwin (1989) writes that "the incident does not tell us anything about the veracity of claims to consult the dead on the part of mediums, because the indications [of the woman’s behavior] are that this was an extraordinary event for her, and a frightening one, because she was not in control."


title: Witch of Endor

text: Grenville Kent summarises two main historical interpretations: one, that Samuel really appeared, either bodily or in resurrected form; two, that Samuel was impersonated by a demon in order to destroy Saul. He argues that the latter view matches the text.


title: Witch of Endor

text: Spiritualists have taken the story as evidence of spirit mediumship in ancient times. The story has been cited in debates between Spiritualist apologists and Christian critics. "The woman of Endor was a medium, respectable, honest, law-abiding, and far more Christ-like than" Christian critics of Spiritualism, asserted one Chicago Spiritualist paper in 1875.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The story of Saul's consultation with the witch of Endor has frequently been set to music, with many works expanding on the character of the witch. One early example is "In guiltie night", an oratorio written by Robert Ramsey in the 1630s, which formed the basis of a better-known work of the same title by Henry Purcell in 1691.


title: Witch of Endor

text: The witch also appears in "Mors Saulis et Jonathae" by Charpentier (c. 1682), "Saul" by George Frideric Handel (1738), "Die Könige in Israel" by Ferdinand Ries (1837), and "Le Roi David" by Honegger (1921). Notable operas featuring the character include "David et Jonathas" by Charpentier (1688) and "Saul og David" by Carl Nielsen (1902). In 1965, the Martha Graham Dance Company premiered "The Witch of Endor", a one act ballet with music by William Schuman. This was subsequently reworked into a short symphonic-style piece by Moondog, for his eponymous 1969 album.


title: Witch of Endor

text: Poetic works retelling the story include "" by Lord Byron, published in his 1815 collection "Hebrew Melodies", and "In Endor" by Shaul Tchernichovsky (1893), a major work of modern Hebrew poetry which paints Saul as a sympathetic figure. Rudyard Kipling, a year after the death of his son at the Battle of Loos, wrote a poem called "" (published 1919), using the story as a device to criticise contemporary mediums.


title: Witch of Endor

text: In theatre, the witch of Endor figures in Laurence Housman's 1944 play "Samuel the Kingmaker", and has a central role in Howard Nemerov's 1961 play "Endor". The character has been portrayed cinematically by Israeli actor Dov Reiser in the 1976 television film "The Story of David", and by Belgian actress Lyne Renée in the 2016 series "Of Kings and Prophets".


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: Ripley's Believe It or Not! is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the "Believe It or Not" feature proved popular and was later adapted into a wide variety of formats, including radio, television, comic books, a chain of museums and a book series.


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: The Ripley collection includes 20,000 photographs, 30,000 artifacts and more than 100,000 cartoon panels. With 80-plus attractions, the Orlando, Florida-based Ripley Entertainment, Inc., a division of the Jim Pattison Group a Canadian global company with an annual attendance of more than 12 million guests. Ripley Entertainment's publishing and broadcast divisions oversee numerous projects, including the syndicated TV series, the newspaper cartoon panel, books, posters and games.


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: Ripley first called his cartoon feature, originally involving sports feats, "Champs and Chumps", and it premiered on December 19, 1918, in "The New York Globe". Ripley began adding items unrelated to sports, and in October 1919, he changed the title to "Believe It or Not". When the "Globe" folded in 1923, Ripley moved to the "New York Evening Post". In 1924, the panel began being syndicated by Associated Newspapers, (formed as part of a cooperative that had included the "Globe"). That same year, Ripley hired Norbert Pearlroth as his researcher, and Pearlroth spent the next 52 years of his life in the New York Public Library, working ten hours a day and six days a week in order to find unusual facts for Ripley.


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: Other writers and researchers included Lester Byck. In 1930, Ripley moved to the "New York American" and was picked up by the King Features Syndicate, being quickly syndicated on an international basis.


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: Ripley died in 1949; those working on the syndicated newspaper panel after his death included Paul Frehm (1938–1978; he became the full-time artist in 1949), and his brother Walter Frehm (1948–1989); Walter worked part-time with his brother Paul and became a full-time Ripley artist from 1978 to 1989. Others who assisted included Clem Gretter (1941–1949), Bob Clarke (1943–1944), Joe Campbell (1946–1956), Art Sloggatt (1971–1975), Carl Dorese, and Stan Randall. Paul Frehm won the National Cartoonists Society's Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award for 1976 for his work on the series. Clarke later created parodies of "Believe It or Not!" for "Mad", as did Wally Wood and Ernie Kovacs, who also did a recurring satire called "Strangely Believe It!" on his TV programs. Other strips and books borrowed the Ripley design and format, such as Ralph Graczak's "Our Own Oddities", John Hix's "Strange as It Seems", and Gordon Johnston's "It Happened in Canada". The current artist is John Graziano and current researcher is Sabrina Sieck.


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: At the peak of its popularity, the syndicated feature was read daily by about 80 million readers, and during the first three weeks of May 1932 alone, Ripley received over two million pieces of fan mail. Dozens of paperback editions reprinting the newspaper panels have been published over the decades. Recent "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" books containing new material have supplemented illustrations with photographs.


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: "Peanuts" creator Charles M. Schulz's first publication of artwork was published by Ripley. It was a cartoon claiming his dog was "a hunting dog who eats pins, tacks, screws, nails and razor blades". Schulz's dog Spike later became the model for "Peanuts"' Snoopy.


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: Ripley Entertainment produces a range of books featuring unusual facts, news stories and photographs. In 2004 Ripley Entertainment founded Ripley Publishing Ltd, based in the United Kingdom, to publish new "Believe It or Not" titles. The company produces "the New York Times" bestselling "Ripley's Believe It or Not! Annuals", the children's fiction series "Ripley's RBI", an educational series called the "Ripley's Twists", the "Ripley's Believe It or Not! Special Edition" in conjunction with Scholastic USA and a number of other titles. At the height of his popularity Robert Ripley received thousands of letters a day from the public, and Ripley Entertainment continues to encourage submissions from readers who have strange stories and photographs that could be featured in "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" books and media.


title: Ripley's Believe It or Not!

text: The people whose items are featured in such books as "Strikingly True" have what Edward Meyer, Vice President of Exhibits and Archives at Ripley Entertainment Inc., describes as an obsession: "Whatever it is they're after, it is so important to them that all the rest of the world can go on without them. They want to make something that makes them immortal, makes them a little different than you and me". Despite the wide range of true and unbelievable art, sculpture, photographs, interactive devices, animal oddities, and recycled objects contained within the Ripley's collection, rarely considered are alien or witchcraft-type stories, which are, according to Meyers, difficult to prove. To be included in Ripley's Believe It or Not books, museums, or television shows, items must undergo scrutiny from Ripley's staff and be 100% authenticated.