This is a big problem.

[T]his year's succession of disasters has overwhelmed donors, nonprofit leaders believe. Additionally, people are holding on tighter to their money because of the uncertain economy.

Bush asked for contributions to the American Red Cross in remarks he made Tuesday at Ellington Field.

"I hope that the country does not have disaster fatigue," he said.

On a different note, here was my experience driving to and from work today. In the morning, I gave our friend Andrea, who's been staying at our house while her power is out, a lift to her job near San Felipe and Saint James. It was smooth sailing along I-10 and 610 from the Heights, and then from there to the Astrodome area where I work. Very little traffic for 7:30 AM, though I'm told by my mother-in-law that the Loop was much more crowded a little after that.

Coming home, I took Greenbriar/Shepherd most of the way. I counted 12 non-working traffic lights, three downed power lines, two of which had crews working on them, three hand-lettered signs just south of 59 telling CenterPoint where other downed lines were, one place on Greenbriar where collected branches and other Ike refuse blocked a lane of traffic (there was also a downed tree on Buffalo Speedway south of Holcombe that I saw at lunchtime blocking two lanes of traffic), many hand-lettered signs advertising businesses that were open, one telephone pole near my house on Norhill that was leaning more than the tower of Pisa, and far too many drivers who didn't fully grasp the whole "four-way stop" thing to count. Oh, and Allen Parkway eastbound was closed at Waugh, though I couldn't see why. How was your commute today, if you went to work?