Everything is viewed as a result of your perspective. I don't feel 35 kts is anything to be very concerned about. Hell, I've been in fronts in the gulf stream of 55 kts. The issue on newsworthy or not is the IMPACT. When whole towns are under water and 100's of thousands of people are without power and water, that is newsworthy. Maybe those west coast "storms" are significant, but their impact is not as significant as a hurricane like Irene. Sure there are strong winds and big seas, but that alone is not newsworthy. The real-time sea buoys here indicated seas in the 40+ range. We had 90 kts here in Oriental (13 NM inland, but on Pamlico Sound). Boats weren't "bobbing" up and down in the marinas. They were ripping finger piers and pilings out. I am a little surprised with the coverage of TS Irene in the New England area. Here in NC it was way more devastating. We don't hide from 35 kts. The major damage is not directly on the coast. The west coast has a coast and then reasonably high elevations. The east coast has barrier islands and sounds surrounded by low country. These are very different conditions. Storm surge is critical...and devastating. That doesn't really happen to the cities on the west coast. In fact, it's more of a condition of the mid-atlantic (Virginia, North and South Carolina) than elsewhere. Again, it's a matter of perspective. You may not think of those west coast storms as "micro", but their impact is "micro" as compared to Irene's impact.