Brendan Francis Newnam

Latest Stories (14)

Small talk: Pink lights, games with cats, Google ads

The news that didn't quite make the headlines. This week: using pink lights to deter criminals, an interspecies iPad game you can play with your cat, Google replacing ringtones with ads.

The new trend in urban farming: goats

Jan 17, 2011
Gone are the days of raised herb planters and zen gardens. Passionate urban farmers are now raising goats. But writer Novella Carpenter warns Brendan Francis Newnam, goats aren't for novice green thumbs.

NYC's underground grilled cheese

Sep 21, 2010
An entrepreneur named "Ronnie" in New York City's Lower East Side has found an intriguing way to do business: hungry customers get his number from a friend or a friend's friend, text him for a grilled cheese sandwich, and voila -- melted cheddar on Rye bread 15 minutes later. Brendan Francis Newnam gave it a try.

Small talk: Japan, tanning, computer

Jun 18, 2010
Marketplace's Brendan Newnam chats with fellow staffers Ben Adair, Stacey Vanek-Smith and Nihar Patel about under-the-radar business: a city in Japan, a tanning tax, and a super computer

Small talk: Iceland, Facebook, ducks

Jun 4, 2010
Marketplace's Brendan Newnam chats with fellow staffers Paddy Hirsch, Ethan Lindsey, and Adriene Hill about under-the-radar business stories: Iceland's rehabilitation campaign, Facebook's CEO, and cleaning ducks with Dawn soap.

A new generation of bills

Apr 2, 2010
The new iPad, cell phones, cable...it's all part of staying connected in today's society, but are we paying too high a price? Brendan Francis Newnam reports.

Korean barbecue by the truckload

Nov 26, 2009
Ever since Kogi Korean BBQ-to-Go put its meals on wheels, lines have been forming wherever its truck is parked in greater Los Angeles. Its most loyal customers follow Twitter updates to find the next stop. Brendan Newnam reports.

Bigger ads: Big profits, big irritation?

Mar 10, 2009
The Online Publishers Association, which represents Web sites like ESPN and the New York Times, will create bigger ads as it tries to grab consumers and lure in more advertising dollars. But will the ads just irk consumers? Brendan Newnam reports.

The 99-Cent Chef's recipe

Nov 28, 2008
Wallets are being squeezed from all sides, but with an eye for bargains, you can eat healthy and on the cheap. Brendan Newnam dines with L.A.'s 99-Cent Chef.

The 99-Cent Chef

Jun 6, 2008
Wallets are being squeezed from all sides, but with an eye for bargains, you can eat healthy and on the cheap. Brendan Newnam dines with L.A.'s 99-Cent Chef.