I read this story when I was a kid, and was sure it was in the Martian Chronicles (but it wasn't). I'm almost positive it was RB. It was about television production and how we have been absorbing too much information. I remember that in the end a man sees a red light and that's the last piece of information he has room for and he sort of shuts down. Anyone know which story this is? Thanks!

99% - 100% not Bradbury.

This is what I have done in the past with these story IDs and still hope to do again whenever I have time, (which I MUST tell myself I will...someday...but it won't happen soon!) but in the meantime it REALLY helps if people do their own.

1. Go to the Abebooks forums. After registering, make sure you are in the "Booksleuth" forum, as it will bounce you back to the "Community" forum. http://forums.abebooks.com/abesleuthcom Post under "Science Fiction." If I were you, I wouldn't crosspost there, although some stories fall into more than one category, i. e. Children's and Science Fiction. This forum houses the most friendly, helpful, useful, knowledgeable, KINDHEARTED folks I've been able to find online--besides Bradbury's own forum, of course.

2. Go to Google Groups (or, if you REALLY MUST, Usenet--same groups in a different form, only Usenet preferers seem to have a less efficient system coupled with a superior, know-it-all attitude.) Start with this one: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.books.isaac-asimov?lnk=lr because Asimov is the author most frequently mistaken for Bradbury. Even if the story isn't one of Dr. Asimov's, his fans are polite, helpful, and widely read in other Science Fiction. When you post there, crosspost to the following groups: rec.arts.books, rec.arts.books.childrens, and rec.arts.sf.written The worst that will happen is some obnoxious troll, most likely on rec.arts.books.childrens where a number of them have taken up semipermanent residence, who has nothing better to do, will call you rude for crossposting (WHY, I have never determined and refuse to argue it with them.) The best that will happen is you only have to type your question (or copy and paste the one you already typed) once, and it will simultaneously appear in all four groups. If the people who answer just hit "reply" without stripping out the other addresses, all answers will appear in all those groups, so you only have to check one instead of opening up four groups separately. Usenet has a smattering of knowledgeable and helpful folks along with a community of idiots with too much time on their hands, but a lot of people see questions posted there and you may receive semidecent answers.

3. If all these free sources fail, go to: http://www.logan.com/loganberry/stump.html They are the ultimate authority and if the question can be solved nowhere else, it is well worth the $2.00 they charge to have it posted to their site, where it will stay on the unsolved pages until solved, without getting "bumped down" the way things do in message board format. It will then go permanently to the solved pages in case anyone else ever has the same question.

4. Lastly, most important! When you get your answer, whether it be right away or months or years later, PLEASE come back and post it here! If your post is no longer near the top, you can find it by clicking "Find" at the top of the page and searching for your username or some other unusual or distinctive phrase. It would also be nice to mention from what source the answer came. If it's not posted here, it will end up on my "unsolved" list if and when I do get time to go back through all these, and I'll end up doing all of the above unnecessarily (except for paying for other peoples' stumpers, at which I draw the line)! Thanks!

Hope this helps!

Wow...that is some very, very cool info, Dandelion! I didn't know any of those sites!

I'm still pretty sure it's Ray Bradbury.
I read it in a collection with other stories of his, but I'll keep looking. Thanks.

kvk, you will learn as your association with this board of slightly looney but colourful Bradbury fans grows, our Dandelion is a real asset to the human race in general, and to this board in particular. We love her madly. You will too.

The Martian Chronicles has appeared in several forms, with a number of Bradbury's Martian stories uncollected (some, not in a Martian collection, some, not in any collection), but this is 100% not one of them. The ONLY way it is Bradbury is if:
--It is a very obscure story I either didn't read, or read long ago
--It is very new, in which case someone here would recognize it
--It is in a collection he edited, but didn't write. I have read the Timeless Stories of Today and Tomorrow collection but not the collection containing The Circus of Dr. Lao. If someone checks those and it's not in them, I'd try Harlan Ellison or somebody.

quote:

Originally posted by Braling II:
kvk, you will learn as your association with this board of slightly looney but colourful Bradbury fans grows, our Dandelion is a real asset to the human race in general, and to this board in particular. We love her madly. You will too.

Thank you so very greatly. This gives me strength to face the New Year.

You've earned any praise I could give, Dandy. All the best to you and yours.

“Oh…Love is wasted on youth!”

Well then, Braling II, I definitely look forward to further association with said colorful looney fans! Dandelion, my gut tells me that Braling II is indeed correct in his assessment. And Chapter 31, I am no longer young...I wonder if I'm old enough for love yet...

Chapter 31, is that you David?

Hey there Chap! Nice to see you again! Whence cometh that quote? I thought it was Youth that was wasted on the Young.

kvk,
Interesting notion.

biplane1,
And who else would it be then?

Braling II,
Correct. My memory transposed it. From “It’s A Wonderful Life”. Saw it recently on the big screen—from the balcony yet.

Ah, yes! Dick Elliott! "Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?"

My first time seeing that film is an interesting story.
I believe it was 1971. I had been living in Oregon and had come back here for a visit. A friend of mine at UCSC had organized a Frank Capra film festival and lecture series there. I was able to attend the final night of the series which culminated in the showing of that movie, Capra's favourite. The man himself was there and I got to meet him, talk with him, get an autograph,and even get my picture taken with him!
He gave a wonderful talk and answered many questions.
It was so powerful seeing this film on a big screen knowing Capra was in the audience. Hardly a dry eye in the house at the end, too.

Bralling II,
Arguably there are some filmmakers still doing Capra type films. Have you seen “Doc Hollywood”? And if so, what did you think? I loved it but have heard both positive and negative opinions on it. I’m constantly looking for films that can hold a candle to Mr. Capra’s.