(Above) Out of the strong came forth sweetness. The quote from the Bible (King James Version - Judges Chapter 14) refers to the riddle Samson set the Philistines, and has been used as a marketing tagline by sugar producers Tate & Lyle since the nineteenth century. The printed tin for Tate & Lyle’s Golden Syrup has become a classic of packaging design and incorporates an image of the lion killed by Samson. During the winter I often have “treacle pudding” - made with ginger and Golden Syrup.

Sunday afternoon I spent at Helen B’s house. Kim Blacha was also there, analysing more promotional music videos - this time Friday Hill’s Baby Goodbye, the song not released until 10th October (so how did she get the video? Do they send out review copies?). Although she was watching the video frame by frame she was actually listening to a CD of the Back Street Boys. I suggested to Kim Blacha that she put her video reviews on a blog. She looked at me steadily and said: “Do you keep a blog?” This question made my blood run cold, since were this site to be discovered all would be lost (Kim’s question proved to be entirely innocent).

While I waited (two hours!) for Helen I went into the sitting room where the main TV is located, and watched Cecil B De Mille’s 1949 film Samson and Delilah. Back Street Boys was still playing loudly, and the lavish De Mille epic took on the quality of a surreal boyband promo video. In Gaza today the descendants of the Philistines are still warring with their Jewish neighbours.