00:00 Hot Wheels are discussed in this episode of the podcast.

04:15 Hot Wheels, the number one vehicle manufacturer in the world, has produced over four billion cars since 1968, more than the big four Detroit automakers combined.

08:57 Hot Wheels released the Chevy Corvette before the actual car was released by obtaining the blueprints through possibly illegal means, and the original Hot Wheels cars were designed to be more functional and race better than their competitor, Matchbox cars.

13:26 Hot Wheels cars were designed to look like racing cars and be able to win races, unlike Matchbox cars which focused on looking realistic.

17:54 Hot Wheels cars are more likely to have branded versions and licensing deals with companies like Ghostbusters, Eminem Mars, DC, Marvel, and NASCAR, and they have wider wheels and longer axles to make them look cooler and more raceable.

22:26 In 1983, McDonald's Happy Meals included Hot Wheels cars, but they often included less desirable models to encourage kids to keep coming back for the cooler ones.

27:04 In 1996, Mattel bought Tyco and Hot Wheels bought Matchbox, bringing all three brands under the ownership of Mattel.

31:41 Hot Wheels designs are now created using Photoshop and 3D printers, and the cars are made using a diecast process with molten metal under pressure; the most valuable regular Hot Wheel is the 68 Beach Bomb, which was a VW bus in Hot Pink with real surfboards, and it has sold for up to $125,000.

35:56 Hot Wheels held their first ever collector's convention in Toledo, Ohio in 1987.

40:38 The podcast discusses different perspectives on raising the minimum wage, with some arguing for a wage that allows for a comfortable living and others believing that minimum wage is only meant for entry-level workers with low skills and no work history. The suggestion is made to determine the purpose of minimum wage as a nation and set it at an appropriate level accordingly.