Regarding the recent storm surge malarkey, look at the difference in the coverage and government warnings in the UK and those in the Netherlands.

UK, and in pretty much this order:

1. The world may well be about to end.
2. We’re evacuating swathes of the coast.
3. Prepare for massive parts of the country to be submerged.
4. Many ferry sailings are to be cancelled.
5. All barriers are to be shut, all defences will likely be breeched anyway.

Netherlands:

1. Barriers are to be closed.
2. A couple of ferry sailings are to be cancelled.
3. A watch will be kept.

Which leads me to one of two conclusions:

1. The Dutch are terribly blasé about the whole thing, and are not interested. Given the money spent on flood defences and the risks they face, I don’t think this one is particularly likely…
2. The UK government and media are addicted to over selling every risk about.

Nah, couldn’t be that second one… I mean, there really are Islamic terrorists hiding in every cupboard and global warming is going to kill us all, so why would they overstate any case?