# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674 "2020-04-13T03:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 400
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7991 "2023-11-03T22:15:43Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Isn’t St. John pronounced sinjin? You’re probably thinking of a particular Sinjin: > **[Norman St John-Stevas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_St_John-Stevas)** > > Norman Antony Francis St John-Stevas, Baron St John of Fawsley, PC, FRSL (/ˌsɪndʒən ˈstiːvəs/ sin-jən-STEE-vəs; born Norman Panayea St John Stevas; 18 May 1929 – 2 March 2012) was a British Conservative politician, author and barrister. He served as Leader of the House of Commons in the government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher from 1979 to 1981. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Chelmsford from 1964 to 1987 and was made a life peer in 1987. His surname was created by compounding those... I can’t think of another one, so best not to generalize. j ETA: tell a lie, I can; and his name was pronounced Saint John. > **[Ian St John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_St_John)** > > John "Ian" St John (/sɪntˈdʒɒn/; 7 June 1938 – 1 March 2021) was a Scottish professional football player, coach and broadcaster. St John played as a forward for Liverpool throughout most of the 1960s. Signed by Bill Shankly in 1961, St John was a key member of the Liverpool team that emerged from the second tier of English football to win two league titles and one FA Cup—in which he scored the winner in the 1965 final—to cement a position as one of the country's top sides. He played for Scotl... ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7992 "2023-11-03T22:25:48Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > I can’t think of another one Norman St. John Polevaulter ---
**Author:** ![thevolleyballer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@thevolleyballer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thevolleyballer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7993 "2023-11-03T22:31:56Z")
1 had to be a red-haired girl ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7994 "2023-11-03T23:21:45Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > You’re probably thinking of a particular Sinjin: First thing I thought of were the Hawke brothers from “Airwolf”. ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7995 "2023-11-04T00:03:19Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > I have no idea how the one in Massachusetts is pronounced. Lemon-stir. When we hear Leo-minster we can tell you’re from away ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7996 "2023-11-04T02:45:19Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > You’re probably thinking of a particular Sinjin: I knew a “St.John” pronounced “Sinjin” in Charleston, SC. I think its the accepted pronunciation in the South. I also knew one diminuated as “Saint” presumably because his father was Sinjin. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7997 "2023-11-04T03:18:58Z")
If you take any random 5-digit number (example: 65,223) and repeat the sequence to create a 10-digit number in the billions (6,522,365,223), the result is always evenly divisible by 9091. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7998 "2023-11-04T03:37:10Z")
Also divisible by 11. Repeating a 5-digit number like that is the same as multiplying the original number by 100,001. And 100,001 = 9091 x 11. QED. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7999 "2023-11-04T15:37:45Z")
I’m not proud of knowing this, but David Warner played a character in ST V named St. John Talbert, pronounced “Sinjin Talbert.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8000 "2023-11-04T15:40:04Z")
This is possible for any length string of digits isn’t it? Multiplying single digit numbers by 11 will repeat the string. Two digit numbers multiplied by 101, three digits by 1001, etc. They all end up being evenly divisible by 11, and sometimes multiples of 11. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8001 "2023-11-04T15:44:31Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > I can’t think of another one, so best not to generalize. St. John Quincy from the flop TV show _[OK Crackerby!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O.K._Crackerby!)_ ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8002 "2023-11-04T16:05:54Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > St. John Quincy from the flop TV show _[OK Crackerby!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O.K._Crackerby!)_ Never shown here in the UK, I would hazard. But in any case, TIL that there are more Sinjins knocking around than I realized. j ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8003 "2023-11-04T16:11:08Z")
> Ian St John As in the famous graffiti on a church advertising sign: JESUS SAVES! _But St John nets the rebound_ ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8004 "2023-11-04T17:22:47Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > This is possible for any length string of digits isn’t it? Multiplying single digit numbers by 11 will repeat the string. Two digit numbers multiplied by 101, three digits by 1001, etc. They all end up being evenly divisible by 11, and sometimes multiples of 11. I think in general it only works if the number of repeated digits is odd. 101 is not divisible by 11, nor is 10,001, nor is 1,000,001. But 1001, 100,001 and 10,000,001 all work. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8005 "2023-11-04T18:49:17Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I think in general it only works if the number of repeated digits is odd. 101 is not divisible by 11, nor is 10,001, nor is 1,000,001. But 1001, 100,001 and 10,000,001 all work. I’m seeing it’s not as simple as I thought. Of course the multiplier that repeats the initial string need to be divisible by 11. There’s a multiplier that will repeat anything length string of digits, but not necessarily evenly divisible by anything else, such as 101. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8006 "2023-11-04T19:04:29Z")
To find appropriate multipliers, we can use the fact that a^n+1 is divisible by a+1 if n is odd. So (with a=10), a number 100…001 is always divisible by 11 if there are an even number of zeros. So, if we take any 7-digit number and repeat it to make a 14 digit number, it will always be divisible by 909091 and by 11, since 10000001 = 909091 x 11. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8007 "2023-11-05T01:57:36Z")
To go down the inverse of multiplication oddities… 1/7 expressed as a decimal is 0.142857142857142857… The same 6 digits repeating. 2/7 expressed as decimal is 0.285714285714285714… The same digits repeating, just starting from a different point. 3/7, 4/7, 5/7 and 6/7 all use the same pattern - with a different starting point. The inverses of all prime numbers all show similar patterns (except for 2 and 5 - we use the decimal sytem and 2 and 5 are factors of 10). The number of repeating digits is one less than the number being inverted - example 1/7 is 6 recurring digits, 1/17 is 16 recurring digits etc EXCEPT sometimes there are two or more patterns of recurring digits in the inverses. For example: 1/13 = .076923 - six recurring digits. 2/13 = .153846 recurring - a different set of 6 recurring digits. 1/13, 3/13, 4/13, 9/13, 10/13 and 12/13 all use the .076923 recurring pattern - the other fractions use the other pattern. so - Inverses of 13 uses 2 different patterns of 6 digits - 2x6 = 12 (one less than the number being inverted). EG: Inverses of 3 uses 2 different patterns of 1 digit - 2x1 = 2. Inverses of 11 uses 5 different patterns of 2 digits - 5x2 = 10. Inverses of 37 uses 12 different patterns of 3 digits - 3x12 = 36. Inverses of 41 uses 8 different patterns of 5 digits - 8x5 = 40. Inverses of 53 uses 4 different patterns of 13 digits - 4x13 = 52. Etc… It is apparently all explainable and fairly trivial, but it blows my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2023, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8008 "2023-11-05T05:18:52Z")
In _Sleuth_, one of the characters is a famous mystery writer named Andrew Wyke. Like Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot, Wyke has a famous detective featured in his novels; St. John Lord Merridew. In the first movie version, Lawrence Olivier pronounces it “Sinjin”. That was the first time I ran across that affectation. I gather that Anthony Shaffer, who wrote _Sleuth_, wanted the Wyke character to be terribly posh and pretentious. Just the sort who’d write about an aristocrat detective named “Sinjin”. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2023, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8009 "2023-11-05T06:13:10Z")
I found out that the opening music for “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”(the song _I Can’t Break Away_) was not original with the film. It was a cover from a singer in the 60’s named Chuck Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2023, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/8010 "2023-11-05T07:13:52Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I gather that Anthony Shaffer, who wrote _Sleuth_, wanted the Wyke character to be terribly posh and pretentious. Just the sort who’d write about an aristocrat detective named “Sinjin”. … No idea if that’s how Shaffer intended him, but that’s how I played him. FWIW. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=399) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=401)