Morons who go out in the middle of the storm to film or stand on piers and get washed away are just an example of Darwinization.
Maybe I was used to typhoons that hit Japan being not a big deal because the buildings and infrastructure there are built to withstand it, but truly, hurricane Irene could have been a lot worse. It glanced the coast, it didn't plow into it. I've sat through a Cat 5 typhoon, and it was intense. Though the only death with the storm was someone who decided to go for a walk when the eye passed over. Well, the eye moves fast, and before he knew it, BAM hurricane is back!