So, the newly-knighted Sean Connery has joined the growing ranks of septuagenarians. Crikey, it doesn't seem any time at all - but it's almost 50 years - since he and Larry Hagman were prancing about in the chorus on a West End theatre stage, with Larry's mum Mary Martin, in the smash-hit musical South Pacific.

Hasn't he done well since: from coffin-polisher to international super-star millionaire; mooted for the Presidency of Scotland - that is if Scotland ever gets its full independence - and considered by many as 'the sexiest man alive.' But he doesn't take that flattery too seriously, pointing out "there are few sexy dead ones".

All this makes me wonder where I went wrong in life. Like Sean, I'm 1.88m tall and once had thick brown hair. Though, unlike him, I've never been into bodybuilding - my body always seemed large enough, perhaps too large. But I do have Scottish ancestry, and ate a lot of porridge when I was a boy, but preferred it with sugar, rather than salt. And I once attended a Burns Night in Holland, where kilts and sporrans were optional dress. I couldn't fault the malt, but didn't go much on the haggis; of course, it might have been the way the ACC chef cooked it.

Anyway, Scot or not, I'd rather stick to a Sassenach diet.

As a schoolboy I had shown some bent for the stage when, at age 12, I wrote, directed and played the leading role in the school play, Magellan's Last Voyage. Unfortunately, there were no film talent scouts present in the audience, so my questionable talent was never discovered and was left to wither on the vine, so to speak.

I attribute my life of relative mediocrity to the fact that I've never played golf. Not that I didn't want to, just never had the cash at the right time to buy the equipment, or when I did, there wasn't a golf course for miles around.

It seems to me that all the successful people play golf, and are forever bragging about their handicaps; alas, mine are nothing to shout about.

However, I make no excuse for disagreeing with Connery's philosophy: "To get anywhere in life you have to be anti-social. Otherwise you'll end up being devoured." Mind you, he said that over 30 years ago, in his Bond heyday. These days he is very sociable, that is unless you say anything unkind about the Scots, pinch his golf balls, or try to miss your round at the 19th Hole.

Peter Hitchens, the Daily Express's "trenchant and troublesome" columnist, has been assaulted on a city street. An overly "sensitive" young beggar took offence at Peter for trying to dissuade a woman from giving alms, and gave him a black eye and a wicked jab in the stomach.

As you would expect, nobody intervened and Peter didn't report the matter to the police, accepting that he had been "punished" by the beggar for "dissing" (disrespecting) him. Given Peter's tough uncompromising stance, which comes across in his writing, I find it hard to understand how he took such a philosophical view about the assault.

It seems it's now considered OK, by those who feel aggrieved at being criticised, to punch, even stab (as a French tourist was) anyone who complains about their unlawful or anti-social conduct. Thuggery is trying to rule, and that's not OK!

What must not happen is for the law-abiding and "meek" among us to bend to the will of those who would do what they want to do, and to hell with those who don't agree and try to stop them.

Take heart, Peter, you were right, don't be cowed, even if it means another black eye for not minding your own business. Somehow, the rot's got to be stopped.