It's not like we've never had heat waves before. I can't help but wonder how much of this is because the bulk of the population is far more out of shape and too heavy today, than they were 50 years ago? If you look at the stats, the United States has turned into a diabetes factory. It's at epidemic levels. You can't turn on the TV without seeing a commercial featuring some drug company pedaling a drug to control it. Most of it has been caused by bad diet, obesity, and a lack of proper exercise.
People are eating garbage 3 meals a day, don't exercise enough, then complain when it gets hot. Because they're carrying around 50 extra pounds. Slim kids playing Little League and riding their bicycles after school, have been replaced by big fat slobs sitting around playing X-Box 360, and yelling, "Get the door, it's Domino's!"
I have 2 neighbors that retired about the same time I did, (3-1/2 years ago). Both of them have put on at least 30 pounds in that time. They were both out working in their yards, sweating like 2 thoroughbreds that just finished 6 furlongs, when I walked by getting my mail yesterday. Both said the same thing to me.... "Man is it HOT!". (It was morning, humid, and in the upper 80's). They've been my neighbors for 20 years, and I never once ever heard them complain about the heat before they strapped the feed bag on. It's Summer in the desert for God's sake. What do they expect, Parka's and mittens?