CLICK TO READ THE FIRST PAGE OF EACH CHAPTER Prologue: And Darkness came over the Earth Chapter 1: Welcome Aboard! Chapter 2: Home on a Mothership Chapter 3: The Higher Plan Chapter 4: Planning for a New World Chapter 5: Politics and Participation Chapter 6: Creating a New Geography Chapter 7: A Rural Ride Chapter 8: Home on a Hillside Chapter 9: Life in the Atrium Chapter 10: Growth and Learning Chapter 11: Work and Economics Chapter 12: The Rewards of Leisure Epilogue: Take heed of yourself For full ordering information please check the main page: PLANET EARTH: EXTREME MAKEOVER

Whenthe ancient prophecies of major floods and earthquakes are suddenly fulfilled, many of Earth's people are rescued by spacecraft and taken to huge mother ships, where they are received as honored guests while Planet Earth undergoes a complete restructuring. As they enjoy the enriching experiences of daily life on these giant spaceships, they debate and plan their New Society. Rejecting outright any form of aggression and planetary pollution, they develop new ideals of law and liberty based on one simple, all-embracing principle reflected in a full program of land and resources-use, economy, business, and personal liberties. Just as many intrepid souls once crossed the Atlantic from the Old World to a new continent and a new life, so the time finally comes when Earth's people return to their 'new' planet, now cleansed, refreshed and replanted. Take a full guided tour of a giant spacecraft 25 miles long and 5 miles high, follow the detailed policy and planning debates, and glimpse the ideal society we all dream of, yet never manage to create. Planet Earth: Extreme Makeover Chapter 12 – THE REWARDS OF LEISURE In mankind's previous phase on Earth, much of the world lived in conditions of extreme poverty with little or no hope of improvement. Even in the more developed nations, unemployment, wasted talent, aggressive competition and strife occupied much energy, diverting it from more productive uses, while incompetent and often corrupt government took some 50% of the gross national product, delivering perhaps a scant 20% of consumable value. A small minority managed to accumulate great wealth, far in excess of any contribution they might make to society, but the vast majority put in long hours of hard work to satisfy the basic needs of life. In the New Age, physical sufficiency, the higher spiritual energies, and the universal spirit of cooperation combine to provide a high standard of living with physical prosperity and an abundance of cultural and intellectual facilities, set amidst the beauties of a cleansed and refreshed environment. Against this background there is leisure time in abundance. And since leisure is not needed to recuperate from the stresses of work, competition and commuting, it can be used for more rewarding ideals and activities. In particular, the needs of learning and evolving are an important component of leisure activities in the New Age. Leisure begins at home. Every home can be connected to a great web of communication offering a wealth of knowledge, exploration and entertainment. This is the World Wide Web of old, yet much wider, much faster, even more intuitive in its search-and-find capabilities, and individual reception is optionally three-dimensional and holographic, so that armchair travel can be a truly 'live' experience. For outdoor recreation, the countryside is ever present, with paved walks and rural pathways available for walking or cycling. In the town centers, the choice of activity is almost limitless. Around the central atrium or in the many smaller squares and courtyards you can stroll, sit, watch the world go by, read or work, attend meetings or concerts large or small, listen to or give an impromptu lecture, consult astrologers and natural therapists, learn ancient Chinese mind-control exercises, swim in one of the glassed-in tropical-garden pools set into the outside surface, or find a quiet corner in the surrounding parkland where you can sit for several hours and hardly see a soul.