To whom is the invention of the unit 'milliHelen' generally attributed? And it was claimed by him, too.

Brainyblonde

Bidermann, Jakob 1578–1639, German Jesuit dramatist and poet. Based on saint and martyr legends, Bidermann's plays were among the finest artistic expressions of the Counter Reformation in Germany. His chief work, Cenodoxus (1602), was a Faustian drama about mortality. Cenodoxus is one of several mediaeval miracle plays by Jacob Bidermann, an early 17th century German seminarian and prolific playwright. Jacob Bidermann's treatment of the Legend of the Doctor of Paris is generally regarded as the primary source of inspiration for Goethe's Faust. http://www.answers.com/topic/bidermann-jakob Sep 24 06, 5:57 AM

Baloo55th

Some of these tailored adverts are idiotic - "Buy Jakob Bidermann with free delivery over £20 at Tesco." I quote from my visit to BB's site. Err, BB, where do milliHelens come into Bidermann? Or am I missing something? Millithings are a much later invention, and the milliHelen is actually 20th C. Sep 24 06, 9:56 AM

Brainyblonde

The term millihelen was based on the line “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships etc. from the play The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus written by Christopher Marlowe. Jacob Bidermann wrote Cenodoxus which is regarded as the primary source of inspiration for Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s Faust. I thought both Goethe’s and Marlowe’s versions were written after Bidermann’s. In fact, Marlowe’s version came first and even though the term millihelen is based on a line from his play, the term is not in his play. So disregard everything I wrote. I shall endeavor to stop “thinking out loud” in the future! LOL!!! Sep 24 06, 10:51 AM

Baloo55th

Happens to us all.... Perhaps it should heve been the other milliHelen question and crept in here by mistake? Character you're looking for was very well-known - in several different fields. People who think 'Friends' is the be-all and end-all of life might not have heard of him, though. (That's not a clue.) Sep 24 06, 1:35 PM

lanfranco

How about Max McGlashan? This obituary doesn't mention it, but I found a claim online (in a blog, a little too messy to post) that he had coined the term. Since he was closely involved with weights and measures standards, it would make sense: http://calbears.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19970730/ai_n14127460/pg_1 Sep 24 06, 2:33 PM

Baloo55th

The one I'm looking for is well-known for a set of laws and a foundation. Sep 24 06, 3:59 PM

lanfranco

Baloo, did you Google-proof this before you asked the question? Because I am now coming up with science-fiction author Larry Niven. My guess is that we are dealing with a bit of an urban legend here. Various people, some old, some contemporary, accredited with this interesting term. Lots of fun, but possibly non-attributable, when you get right down to it. Here's one claim: http://weblog.timaltman.com/archives/002657.html Sep 24 06, 5:05 PM

peasypod

Of course Baloo Google-Proofed it, like that one the other day with the word ending in two r's... Sep 24 06, 5:09 PM

lanfranco

And here's Larry Niven, for those who might be interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Niven But I'm quite certain that we are not talking about Kepler or Newton. Sep 24 06, 5:11 PM

peasypod

I'll go for Isaac Asimov. http://asimovhumanists.org/AboutIsaacAssimov2.htm Sep 24 06, 9:54 PM

Baloo55th

How would you like a Golden Robot, Peasy? Asimov is the one that was in my mind, and the one most likely, I think. He had a very wicked sense of humour. A writer of science fiction and a scientist, and the translator and commentator on the beginning of Genesis - which upset a lot of people who found out that a lot of it didn't mean what they thought it meant! As the milliHelen has taken on a life of its own, I asked for 'generally' attributed, and Asimov won in my search. Sep 25 06, 6:44 AM

peasypod

I'd love a Golden Robot....does he do the ironing? Sep 25 06, 6:57 AM

lanfranco

Sorry, guys, but I want a paper, book, or short story and a specific citation. It seems that there is no firm documentation for Asimov, certainly not in that site. Where I come from, "general attribution" isn't acceptable. Sep 25 06, 5:03 PM

peasypod

Ok, perhaps not a fantastic citation, but... http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/archives.html Scroll down to 'milliHelen'. Sep 25 06, 6:01 PM

lanfranco

Wow. "Noncommittal," indeed. Though, I must say, in the process of scrolling down, I encountered a lot of very interesting things. Still, there must be a firm citation for this somewhere. We'll just have to keep looking. Sep 25 06, 7:29 PM

peasypod

Actually, there IS a method to my madness. Having an insight to how Baloo's mind works did help. He does have a fancy for science fiction, so I traipsed along til I found it. ;) Sep 25 06, 7:42 PM