From the desk of Editor Michael Knight.

This week: Water Filters Reviewed (You'll need one).

France/Germany Go Bush Bashing on Climate (non) Change.

More Countries Halt Grain Exports.

Typhoon Trouncing China.

A Trilogy of Books by James Gilliland.

And News about the New ECR

But first - a letter from Cindy.

Indeed I do. National Geographic has run a story mentioning up to 600 low-intensity ‘quakes, since March 30, speculating that they might indicate volcanic activity.

That was after NOAA (the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency) initially said "Given the midplate location of the swarm, a volcanic event response effort does not seem warranted."

But after 600 tremors out there it is now planning a "response cruise" out of Newport Oregon starting Sunday April 20.

"The focus of the expedition is to search for water-column plumes that might indicate expulsion of hydrothermal or crustal fluids and/or seafloor volcanic activity."

Scientists say these types of earthquakes do not trigger tsunamis.

Perhaps not by themselves, but if it is a volcano starting to erupt a tsunami of some sort might not be out of the question.

Meanwhile, one of the most volcanically active areas on earth – Indonesia - has seen the status of Mt Papandayanwas raised from a normally active (level I) to alert (level II).

Over 100 shallow earthquakes have been recorded, and “authorities are monitoring a possible formation of dikes following the collapse of the river banks in the upper reaches near the crater, which is a potential source of flash floods.

“Thirteen other mountains are also currently being intensively monitored. Mt. Egon (alert/ level III) currently has the highest alert level of the 13. Other mountains with an alert status (level II) are Gunung Anak Papandayan, Lokon, Talang, Kelud, Soputan, Karangetang, Kerinci, Gamkonora, Semeru, Duukono, Ibu and Gunung Bromo.”

Reuters reports from Beijing that "56 Chinese fishermen were missing on Friday as a typhoon bore down on the southern resort island of Hainan."

It’s the earliest typhoon, and possibly the strongest, to hit the region in 60 years.

More than 120,000 people have been evacuated from the danger zone, and over 20,000 fishing boats were recalled as Cyclone Neoguri gathered strength in the China Sea.

Reuters says Chinese scientists have blamed global warming for increasing weather extremes, including devastating typhoons, snow storms, floods and drought, which they say "are likely to get worse."

In previous Earth Change Report articles, we have said the United States – and the United Nations – are doing less than nothing about actually tackling global warming.

Talk and more talk, delay after delay, is the order of the day – including more talk this week by President Bush.

It is clearly intended to delay any real action, while enabling industry to continue polluting the world, as well as making money from spurious and ineffectual “carbon credit” trading.

Bush’s most recent platitudes and rhetoric got this reaction in Paris this week:

"There is no way whatsoever that we can agree to what the US is proposing," South African Environment and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said, describing the Bush administration as "isolated."

"In effect, the US wants developing countries that already face huge poverty and development challenges to pay for what the US and other highly industrialized countries have caused over the past 150 years," he said.

Germany used the word “Neanderthal.”

Well, that's enough Bush Bashing for one day. After all, neither France nor Germany is exactly squeaky clean in the pollution department.

So the talk goes on - and Nature goes on retaliating, or changing, and living species continue to die off or disappear.

Swallow This

Last week we reported that tens of thousands of swallows died in South Africa a week before they were due to migrate to Europe.

Unusually cold March weather resulted in the quick onset of hypothermia and hypoglycemia.

Anyway, my good friend Pete is a compassionate bird man. So much so that he even sacrificed his wife’s feather pillow to broadcast nest-making material for his little feathered friends.

Now his wife writes: "Pete has been fretting about the swallows for weeks. He thinks it's too cold for them to nest and they're not mating.

"It probably won't do any good to remind him that he left all of their birdhouses out over the winter. The sparrows were only too happy to move in during their absence, which left the swallows a bit peeved when they traveled all this distance to find their room reserved to someone else.

"Undaunted, Pete resolved to address the problem, eventually making a dozen new birdhouses last weekend. After the squabbling and a few border skirmishes died down, the swallows decided they could move to a new neighborhood."(Photo attached)

Oddly enough - talking of the cold - we're likely to have record April lows and snows here again this weekend. It's a cold front from Alaska courtesy of La Nina - so they say. Or HAARP?

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Ready For Anything?

Annalee writes to let us know that in the United States Costco – the big discount warehouse place – is on the preparedness trail.

For example, they’re advertising grab-and-go kits for $29.99. They include a flashlight, first aid kit, food and water.

Speaking of water...

Part of my approach to the future goes something like “pray to Allah – but tether your camel” or “the Lord helps those who help themselves” – which in both cases means, if you’re smart, you’ll take responsibility for yourself.

So I decided to do a random Google search and check out water filters this week, assuming a future situation in which the well doesn’t pump and maybe there’s volcanic ash in the air creating serious acid rain.

We do have an in-line cartridge filter on the well because there’s considerable iron in the water here, plus we use a Brita counter-top filter for drinking water. I've had it for years.

Interestingly (or perhaps embarrassingly), I discovered it’s costing me 25 cents a gallon to run the Brita. That’s at the high end of all the filters I looked at.

Worse yet, all it does is remove chlorine and lead – neither of which we have in our well water!!! .

(Judith is sitting alongside me saying…’this is to inspire confidence in your readers?;…and tell them I don’t ever use the Brita because I’m smarter than you….”).

I also Googled the Berkey water filters because I’ve heard over the years that they are about the best you can get.

I was especially interested in the $US39 Sport model.

It’s not much bigger than your hand so it would be perfect for a go-pack – and for my trail riding.

One combat vet familiar with martial law situations in South America says they’ll even make sewage drinkable.

The thought is enough to make a man gag – until you remember that huge cities like Detroit are already recycling that very thing.

Give me a horse, the mountains, and a stream polluted by nothing more than elk doodoo any day.

Or, if I must live in a community, how about "The Good Life."

There was a British TV show by that name years ago - and even today, there are people who truly do live The real Good Life.

"In a bid to become less dependent on supermarkets, the residents of Martin (in Hampshire) are working together to become as self-sufficient as possible.

"(The)village is now home to hundreds of (people who) work on a rota system and raise their own chickens and pigs and grow potatoes, garlic, onions, chillis and green vegetables on eight acres of rented land.

"(They sell) 45 types of vegetables and 100 chickens a week…”

Which brings us to the future of Earth Change Report - and a future report I'll do on a couple of meetings about community living (call it a "Shire") that I've been to.

As you know - because you're an interested subscriber - Earth Change Report is about "abrupt" changes.

Abrupt enough to disrupt - totally - life as we know it.

And by that I mean, perhaps even serious chaos for all of us - not just people on coastlines or living in cities.

It's very easy in life to become so engrossed in our own 'stuff' that we forget or even refuse to take responsibility for those we say we love and care for.

While it's true that love of self is essential, and can actually take a long time to comprehend and even practice, I'm not talking "selfishness" here.

I'm saying that too many adults - too many 'leaders' - have completely forgotten that we are responsible for passing on this planet to our children and grand children. That's why this one's for Billy.

We have gassed and poisoned and polluted and covered this planet with weeping sores (call them cities) which she must shake off - or die.

However, this is not about "Doomsday." ECR is about facing facts, getting prepared, and being here when the worst of the earth changes are over.

Think - Beyond 2012. Got that? BEYOND 2012.

So today, I also created a new web page to feature the three books that James has written.

I headlined the page "The Gilliland Trilogy - Good For Your Soul."

I only have 10 of each title in stock, and they're presently only available for US sales - partly because overseas shipping is really expensive right now, but it also takes time to set up the PayPal system....I'll get to that asap.

But before I do, it's time to close in and complete the transition to the New Earth Change Report - the Premium Paid Version With Big Capital Letters.

However, as always, I'm just offering information - but I do plan to split the existing list into two categories.

One list will allow all present subscribers (including those who have opted in to the paid version) to receive a regular roundup of current earth change issues and events.

The other list will comprise only those who will receive or have access to the premium (paid) newsletter.

This will be the one that includes feature articles, guest editorials, in-depth research, product reviews, responses to readers letters and queries, appropriate videos and graphics, and information running the gamut from personal preparedness to important resource links to ET Contact information, body mind and spirit preparedness…and much more. There'll even be suggestions for making money on line.

You can subscribe to the paid version here. (Or if you’re one of those who said ‘yes’ in the poll and haven’t yet got round to following through, please do so. A yes is a yes).

The free edition – the one you’ve been receiving – will continue as Earth Change Report. But it'll be shorter, with few or no graphics.

The premium edition will go by the name New Earth Change Report (or New ECR). It will inherit the use of graphics and video as well.

The first edition of New ECR will be delivered as soon as the lists have been divided.

It takes a couple of days to make the transition – and it is important to let you all know that you’ll be seeing the word “Aweber” here and there from now on.(They provide the email service).

BUT REST ASSURED switching to a new email program does NOT expose your email address to any third party. Aweber is a highly ethical company, totally despises spam, protects its customers, keeps email addresses securely out of sight (even from its own people) and NEVER allows inappropriate access to the lists on its computers.

Well...it's been a long day.

I hope your coffee didn't go cold while reading this:-)

Time to go talk to that "smarter than you" wife of mine.

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Lastly – how about passing this newsletter on?

Just forward it to your friends (although you might lose some, so be sensible.).

On the other hand, anyone who is interested in the future – as it will affect them personally, which this increasing shortage of food is bound to do – might welcome this information so they can make a start on finding out a LOT more…if they choose.

They could start by subscribing to the free edition, right here..click click.

Sincerely.

Michael Knight.

Editor.

Earth Change Report

Director - "Contact Has Begun."