Overview of Betty Boop, Excel Olympics, Penny-isms: Our 2026 Valentines
This Planet Money Valentine’s episode (host Kenny Malone) sends short, affectionate shout-outs to people, stories, and things the show’s team loves: Jennifer Jenkins’s public-domain round-up (and Betty Boop’s 1930 entry), a Washington Post deep-dive into collegiate Excel championships, Uniqlo’s praised RFID self-checkout, a paean to the U.S. penny, and investigative data reporting from 404 Media about ICE. The episode also debuts a tongue-in-cheek economics-themed Betty Boop Valentine card: “Boop, boop, a duopoly — I’ll never bust your trust.”
Key segments and who presented them
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Public Domain & Betty Boop — Jennifer Jenkins
- 1930 version of Betty Boop entered the public domain on Jan 1, 2026.
- Jenkins’s annual Public Domain Day list highlights classics entering the public domain (examples: The Maltese Falcon, “Georgia on My Mind,” All Quiet on the Western Front).
- Context: a long copyright-extension period kept many works out of the public domain until 2019; now annual troves enter.
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The Excel Olympics — Jess Jang (Valentine to a Washington Post article by Jesse Daugherty)
- Coverage of the Microsoft Excel Collegiate Championship (semifinals/finals, stage setup like esports).
- Excel described as a "language" — competitors solve complex, real-world-style spreadsheet puzzles.
- Most Excel usage by industry: manufacturing (surprising vs. finance/accounting).
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Uniqlo self-checkout — Alexi Horowitz-Gazi
- Uniqlo’s clothes-scanning self-checkout uses RFID tags and a bin that reads many items automatically — praised for speed and reliability.
- RFID tag costs have fallen dramatically (from ~$0.20 to ~$0.04 per tag per a McKinsey estimate), making the approach cost-effective for apparel but less so for low-margin items like loose produce.
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The Penny (the one that got away) — Erica Barris
- A sentimental Valentine to the U.S. penny and penny-related language/culture.
- The U.S. Mint will stop minting new pennies (no recall of existing coins); reason: production costs exceed face value (more than 3¢ to make 1¢), projected savings ~$56 million/year.
- Cultural note: many common idioms reference the penny (“penny for your thoughts,” “a penny saved…”).
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Investigative data reporting — Nick Fountain (Valentine to 404 Media)
- Praise for 404 Media’s reporting on ICE and tech tools (notably Palantir’s software described as mapping potential targets and generating dossiers).
- 404 Media demonstrates practical techniques for public-interest reporting using public federal procurement and contract records.
- Tip: search the federal procurement/contract database (e.g., query “Immigration and Customs Enforcement”) to see suppliers, contracts, and procurement details — a basic accountability method any journalist or citizen can use.
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Planet Money Valentine card
- Creative result: Betty Boop (1930 public-domain image) themed economics pun: “Boop, boop, a duopoly — I’ll never bust your trust.”
- Planet Money will post downloadable Valentine art on their site and Instagram.
Main takeaways
- Public domain is resurging: important cultural works from the 1920s–1930s are now entering the public domain each year; Jennifer Jenkins’s list is a practical, yearly resource.
- Excel skills are being celebrated publicly (via collegiate championships) and are widely useful — surprisingly dominant in manufacturing work.
- RFID-enabled self-checkout can work very well for apparel retailers; unit tag cost declines drive adoption where margins allow.
- Practical civic journalism techniques (searching public procurement/contract records) are accessible and can yield major scoops about government technology and spending.
- The penny remains culturally meaningful even as minting stops; production costs and card/digital payments are driving the change.
Notable quotes & lines
- “Betty Boop’s just her own woman. She’s fiercely independent.” — Jennifer Jenkins on Betty Boop’s cultural importance.
- “Excel is like a language.” — on the skill and expressive power of spreadsheet work.
- “Boop, boop, a duopoly — I’ll never bust your trust.” — Planet Money’s official Betty Boop economics Valentine.
- “Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck.” — Erica Barris on penny lore.
Actionable items / Where to find more
- Read Jennifer Jenkins’s Public Domain Day list (search “Public Domain Day Jennifer Jenkins” or check Planet Money show notes).
- Read the Washington Post piece: “Between the sheets at the College Excel Championships” by Jesse Daugherty (recommended if you like competitive spreadsheets).
- If curious about RFID self-checkout: look into Uniqlo’s implementation and McKinsey/RFID cost analyses for context on tag pricing.
- Try public procurement reporting yourself:
- Visit the federal procurement/contracts site and search agency names (e.g., “Immigration and Customs Enforcement”) to see vendors, contracts, and technology purchases.
- 404 Media posts methods/training on how they use public records — check 404media.co.
- Download Planet Money’s Valentine card and share it (they’ll post the image on planetmoney’s site and Instagram).
- For questions or stories about giving the Valentine, email planetmoney@npr.org.
Quick facts & figures
- Betty Boop (1930 version) now in public domain (2026).
- Examples entering public domain: The Maltese Falcon; “Georgia On My Mind”; All Quiet on the Western Front.
- RFID tag cost estimate: ~ $0.04 per tag (down from ~$0.20 a decade ago).
- U.S. Mint stopping penny production; production cost per penny > $0.03; estimated savings ~$56 million/year.
Recommended listening/reading from the episode
- Planet Money episode (this summary)
- Jennifer Jenkins’s Public Domain Day coverage
- Washington Post / Jesse Daugherty on Excel championships
- 404 Media’s reporting on ICE and Palantir (404media.co)
If you want the printable Valentine or links cited on the show, check the Planet Money episode page / show notes or Planet Money’s Instagram.