I guess I would agree if it cut the power to over 500,000 people, covered towns with 9 1/2 ft. of storm surge, and the obvious damage that those conditions bring. When you have low country areas like we do in N Carolina, the damage is way more than high seas and beach erosion. The conditions you describe were no where near the breadth that a hurricane caries with it. The diameter of the significant damage is over 100 miles wide. We live in Oriental, NC and the eye passed directly over us. Your micro storms have no comparison to a large, widespread hurricane. It's not a matter of publicity (sorry that you feel neglected), but a matter of fact. Show me one of those storms that equals the damage of hurricane Irene. It may not be news to you, but it is to millions of people living through it.