@swirlie It's becoming harder to buy fuel in the UK too, or more accurately, there are far fewer filling-stations; but that's a matter of economics. High taxes and distribution costs so cut the retail profit per litre of petrol or diesel, that the supermarkets found it easy to price many of the independent garages out of at least the fuel business.

America's military reputation abroad is shoot first, ask later; and if bombing does not work, throw more bombs at the place. As you say, it failed in Vietnam and elsewhere because its Armed Forces are not attuned to guerrilla tactics, especially where most of the guerillas are fighting on and for their home soil. However odious the regime they want to impose, they resent what they see as foreign interference or control in their own countries.

My point about running out of petroleum goes far beyond just the fuels it gives, because those are only a fraction (literally, in refining terms!) of what the mineral provides.

Frankly, humanity faces a very bleak future, fortunately for me not in my, and probably not in your, lifetimes; but very possibly in only a few generations to come.

And then, to refer to the OP, Space exploration will be a matter of history impossible to reprise.

@ArishMell
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You make excellent points here in your post. Looking forward to hooking up with you somewhere else in here where will undoubtedly meet again!

Thanks for the education, so far![/c]

@swirlie A pleasure - thank-you for the compliment, and I await the world's future with interest. Or foreboding.

@Greenbare

Does the Nurse know you have left the dementia ward alone and unassisted?

You do know this question was only about a song right?

@Glambarber Most sensible answer yet.

I do, because they couldn't afford a mule

@canusernamebemyusername LOL!

Err, wouldn't that make landing easier?