Watching the Hurricane Gustav coverage. Mother Nature puts on a helluva show.

In the name of all that is holy, why do reporters who cover hurricanes like Gustav insist that they must, lo, they are pre-ordained to stand out in the rain and the wind and the debris like a fool to show us that, yes, the weather is really, really bad?

Like we couldn't figure that out from the sideways wind, the palm tree tops touching the ground, and sheet metal flying past the screen?

It is a cliche of broadcasting. Or perhaps some sort of fraternity hazing for journalists.