By now , we trust you ’ve uncovered a few ofHouston ’s arcanum spotsthat you did n’t antecedently know be – the water tank is finally open for tours , so y’ all can stop trespassing now . trust it or not , there ’s even more stuff about this fascinating city that we reckon you did n’t live . We ’ve puzzle some deep - cut facts about Houston that are likely novel to you if not for some extensive internet rabbit - hole sessions ( we ’ll economise you the meter ) .
Houston is home to an all-nude travel agency
In bounce of 1984 , Donna Daniels and James Bailey give a travelling agency – a travel means that just so happened to specialise in clothing optional traveling . Castaway Travelscored a bunch of press when put together the first NUDE AIRLINE escape , the now defunctNaked - Air , in 2003 , but today , you ’ll find them align all - au naturel sail and group trip-up to au raw beach resorts .
Our air quality is affected by African dust storms
At least according to acollaborative studyfrom the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in participation with the University of Houston and Arizona State . The results showed that during major debris storms in the Sahara , the average air concentrations of inhalable particles more than double in Houston . While that kinda blows ( ! ) , the study shows that the rubble intrusions impact solar radioactivity , which may cool ocean temperatures and weaken the organization of hurricane . We ’ll take it ?
The phone on the International Space Station has a Houston area code
Inway cooler news , the phone on the ISS has a 281 surface area code , meaning this WHOLE ENTIRE TIME , Ludacris might have had hookup up there , too . Is your intellect blown yet ?
The Houston police are “rather” helpful
Apparently the popo were much more “ indulgent ” back in the day , becauseas Dan Rather tells it , they once assist him score / shoot diacetylmorphine for a story . When Rather was working in radiocommunication in Houston in 1956 - 57 , the police force had arrested a bunch of musicians for heroin . Not knowing much about it and thinking it ’d make a big story , Rather had some of his police force buddy inject him at the station , and he go on to produce a serial , covering “ This is what diacetylmorphine is ; This is why people take it ; This is what you experience while you ’re under the influence ; This is why it ’s dangerous . ” Damn , Daniel .
There’s a way to earn free pizza for life
NYC may have apizza rat , but Houston has a pizza pie tat ( and is n’t that like , right smart good ? ) . In 2012 , Pi Pizza Truck owner Anthony Calleo came up witha pretty rad wayto fete his truck ’s anniversary : offer cultus following the prospect to get one of their specially design tats for $ 200 and earn themselves loose Pi Pizza for biography . Four old age afterward , so many people require the pizza pie tat , the extremely sought after promotional material required winning a raffle first . The truck harbinger its programme to go brick and mortar in the older Funky Chicken spot , but here ’s hoping the pizza tattoo live on .
The Rockets’ name has nothing to do with NASA (or Houston)
One may assume that the Rockets are named after Houston ’s Space Center , but one would be incorrect , because A GIRL HAS NO NAME . Sorry , Thronesbrain . In actuality , the Rockets are were first established in San Diego in 1967 . lover there were asked to choose a nickname for the team , and Rockets was prefer to excogitate the undischarged ontogeny of infinite - eld diligence in San Diego . The team relocate in 1971 , and the name vex .
Walmart’s employee population exceeds that of Houston’s
We ’re getting all cocky now that we ’re set to take over Chicago as the third largest urban center in America . But you know who ’s big ? You should because we order you above . That ’s right , it ’s gross out Walmart . While Houston right shows a universe around 2.196 million , Walmart smack that with 2.2 million . Even scarier , if for some understanding Walmart became an army , it would be the secondly big military in the world , behind China . Nowthat’sa dystopian hereafter .
The Houston airport has beentricking you into not complaining
call back how long it used to take to get your baggage the airport ? Well it still take just as long , you just do n’t think it does . Years ago , when IAH received an usurious amount of complaint over luggage postponement clip , they allocated more baggage title workers to get the task done quicker . But the complaint endure , so the airport alter its approach , this fourth dimension Jedi thinker - tricking rider by moving the arrival gates further from the terminals and routing the bags to the farthest merry-go-round . This made the walk to get your bag six times longer , and the postponement seemingly shorter , and just like that , ill stop .
You can join avolunteer “Parking Enforcement” task force
love those jerkos that park in disabled floater illegally ? you may take a four - hour training course of action , pass a background check , do a ninja kick , and put them under CITIZEN ’S ARREST . OK , not citizen ’s arrest really , but you could do an errant ninja kick and issue them a citation .
Houston has thewidest freeway in the damn world
That would be the glorious I-10 . The Katy Freeway at Beltway 8 comes in at a whopping 26 lane across ( 12 master , eight birdfeeder , and six managed lanes ) , realise it a spot onBusiness Insider’slist ofThe World ’s 11 Wildest Highwaysand taking about three to four year off your life from the countless stressful hours you ’ve pass navigating it .
Sharknadokinda happened
You hombre , after Hurricane Ike , the fond carcass of a hammerhead sharkwashed upnear a creek in The Woodlands . It ’s a SHARKICANE !
The real life Tony Soprano lives/owns strip clubs here
recall that really confusing last scene ofSopranosthat you either whole loved or detest so much it made you ugly cry ? Well ugly cry no more , because the person on whom Tony Soprano was based lives on , and his name is Vincent “ Vinny Ocean ” Palermo . After being involve in some verySopranos - esque thing , the ex - mobster - turn - government - informant finally settled in Houston , entering witness protective cover and start a new life as a millionaire cartoon strip club manipulator , because life is bonny .
Somebody wants tosave the city with a giant dome
We may or may not have been able to hold open our dear Astrodome . There is , however , a program in place to write the urban center of Houston from the hazard of an “ environmental juggernaut ” by plow it witha 21 million straightforward foot geodesic dome , so we guess all is right in the worldly concern .
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Flickr/Pieter van Marion
International Space Station|Flickr/Nasa’s Marshall Space Flight Center
Toyota Center|Flickr/Kristopher Edwin
IAH Bush Intercontinental Airport|Flickr/Prayinto (edited)
Katy Freeway|Flickr/cemaxx
