4 Fish names - Part I (A-B)

Fish names are a big part of YPP.

All the vessels are named after one fish or another.

While you can find exotic fish to name your ship after, the default list is already quite extensive.

I've wanted to write this ever since I saw a picture of an Angler fish, and wondered what the others looked like... before they ended up on our plates that is.

Any ichthyologists reading this, please don't hit me :P

Alewife - pronounced ale-wife, not a-le-wife

Source

Pretty sure I've eaten this at some point... though I cannot be entirely sure.
Looks pretty normal to me.
I would love to have this deep-fried. Mhmmm.

Main Habitat: Five Great Lakes

Interesting fact: there's a transportation hub named after it located in Cambridge, Tax-achusetts.

Anchovy - Small and nutritious

Source

Okay, I KNOW I've had these before. I never knew they were called Anchovies though, I always knew them by their other name: ikan bilis (e-khan bee-lease).
Not on a pizza, but dried and crispy.

Main Habitat: Mediterranean

Interesting Fact: Anchovies are low on toxins and great vitamin-packed snacks for the health conscious thanks to their small size and short life-cycles.

Angelfish - Pretty and varied

Source for more pics! Emperor Angelfish 

There are two categories of this one apparently. A seawater one and a freshwater one.

Both go by the name "Angelfish" for us laymen, but quite different.

Both are really pretty and colorful though, and both are quite distinctive fish shapes to us.

Source Silver Angelfish

 Main Habitat: Shallow reefs in Atlantic, Indian, Pacific Oceans (seawater), Amazon river and fish tanks (freshwater)

Interesting Facts:  They're pretty. Despite its bold colors, the Queen Angelfish is actually shy in nature.

Angler - The ultimate dominatrix

Source

And now, for the inspiration for this article.

Oh, you thought the look of the fish was the worst part? Nonono.

Only females have "anglers" (the light bulb part). The male physically fuses with the female, leaving only its testes and a female will carry six or more males.

Source Yeap, it's the one from Finding Nemo

/e shudder. Hey, at least the females don't have to worry about doing hair and make-up everyday since they pretty much live in darkness, right?

Main Habitat: North-east Atlantic where the sun don't shine.

Interesting Fact: Apparently you can eat these. Yeaaaaaa. PASS.

Barbel - No, not the weights you lift. Those are Barbells.

Source

Apparently if you googled Barbel, you get a lot of fishermen showing them huge-booty fish off.

I'm guessing they're eaten a lot. I think I've had these!

Main Habitat: Slow-flowing rivers everywhere

Interesting Fact: Barbel is also the technical term for fish whiskers.

Bass - The fish that keeps on noming.

Source Giant Black Sea Bass

Bass also has marine and freshwater varieties.

It is also an instrument and something that Dr. Dre claims to know a lot about. 

Most common variety we know of is the Sea Bass. 

And if you can't cook one of those, be prepared to "take off your jacket and leave Hell's Kitchen".

Source NOPE.

Because you bleeping can't bleeping bleeping cook for bleep. Blimey bleep. Bleep me. 

Main Habitat: East Coast US (Black Sea Bass), restaurant aquariums all over

Interesting Fact: I eat these all the time. 鲈鱼 They're one of the cheaper varieties at the fish market. 

Here's a comparison between East and West sea bass. 

Source East

This is garnished with Soy Sauce, spring onions, yellow wine, and ginger. Tastes great.

It is actually very fast and easy to prep. 

Simply put all ingredients in and then just 4-5 mins in the microwave on high. Great for a meal for one or two. No fat except for the fish's fat.

If you'd like specific instructions, leave a comment :P

Source Fancy Cuisine

If Alton Brown has taught me anything, it is that searing sea bass is a tart. And he has already aimed to simplify everything as much as possible. 

Also that source link has some scary instructions. Why is there butter in everything?

Blowfish - Porcupine of the Sea

Source Is it just me, or does this look like a horse?

You've heard of Fugu right? It's apparently a type of Blowfish. 

Blowfish can't swim very well, so they try to compensate by inflating themselves. 

This fish is full of dirty innuendos.

Source

Sometimes Fugu is prepared with extra traces of the poisonous parts because it causes a tingling (read: paralyzing) effect on the tongue.

It's like getting high. On fish.

Would you try Fugu knowing you could die? 

Main Habitat: Tropical Ocean Zones (Despite their name literally meaning River Pig... what -_-) 

Source Bloat from Finding Nemo

Interesting Fact: 31 fatal cases of Fugu poisoning occurred in Japan between 1996 and 2005 (source) and most of them were fishermen engaging in "Russian-roulette-style fugu consumption". 

Darwin Awards, anyone?

Bluegill - a type of sunfish

Source Dark spot above dorsal fin 

Bluegills come in a variety of colors.

They are so named for their characteristic dark (blue?) dot at the edge of their gills.

They have special fins that allow them to turn quickly from predators, but are very popular to fish as they are very bite-y. 

Oh irony, thy name is Bluegill. 

Main Habitat: Originally Great Lakes and Mississippi, now entire US

Interesting Fact: Emperor Akihito (an ichthyologist by profession!) inadvertently introduced the Bluegill to the Japan ecosystem, wrecking havoc in the process. 

Bream - Part of the Carp family

Source More breams this guy fished up!

Breams, Sunfish, Carps, Minnows (even Barbels) are all in the same Class and Order (ray-finned fish), so colloquially the terms used to describe the different fish are often used interchangeably. 

It is the largest family of fish. 

My first sloop was a Bream. I renamed it to the Cliche Bream with Pegno's help. Ah, good times. 

Main Habitat: North of the Alps, and Balkans, extending towards the Caspian and Black Sea 

Interesting Fact: Like other members of its family tree, it is a very popular fishing target. Well it is quite meaty. 

Bullhead - Adjective or noun, it can be both! 

Source European Bullhead

When referring to a "Bullhead", it is most commonly understood that it is either the European Bullhead, or a type of Bullhead Catfish. There are other types of bullheads too. Not sure why I keep having the word "bullfrog" in my head.

Either way... both look tasty. 

Both varieties are quite small. 

Source Black Bullhead Catfish

The European Bullhead is a fresh water stone-dweller, preferring to dart along the river beds. 

Main Habitat: Native to UK Rivers (European Bullhead), native to North America (Bullhead Catfish)

Interesting Facts: Because of the small Catfish's size, the Bullhead Catfish is often kept as a pet. (Wut?)

Well that's it for the As and the Bs :) I really enjoyed reading about fish. I hope you did too! 

Would you like to see more? I hear there are some wacky sex-changing fish out there. 

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0 YPP Dreams - Greeter Chat version

New type of post! I know I have some REALLY. Wacky ones.

Valderino greeter chats, "I once had a dream that Y!PP was purchased by Microsoft and they installed Bing into the sunshine widget so we could search through our booty easier..."

Not a bad dream except for the Bing! part...

Menoob greeter chats, "i have a dream that i spend half of my life here. and then i realised it wasnt a dream"

True dat.

Crickket greeter chats, "I dreamed my house was burning down but I wouldn't leave the computer because Cryo was at stake, so you should job for us so I can have calmer dreams"

Kay, not sure about the validity of this one... some sort of subliminal "Job for us" advertisement?

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0 TIL on Greeter Chat

Posted July 24th 2013 - Updates usually take reboots to take effect.

Galene broadcasts, "Getting a lot of petitions asking about reboot so broadcasting for all you mates: You updated your client when you logged in last night-that means a reboot is required for that update to fully take effect, aye. Sorry!"

Menoob greeter chats, "that is new. didn't know update mean reboot"

Galene greeter chats, "For general information, most bug fixes won't fully go into effect without rebooting the server. Some will. As an example:

Remember that the server is just a computer. Sometimes you add new programs or updates to various programs on your computer. Some of those do not require you reboot your computer, but some do, yes?"

95% of the time, for the update to fully be installed, the server has to reboot. [Other 5% of the time] It's more, they're not that "deep" in the system. Updating your chat engine probably isn't going to change sensitive system files that are constantly in use, so it usually doesn't require a reboot right?"

But if you installed a windows update for example-that's probably needing to change files you are using all the time-so it can't change that without restarting and closing those files."

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Posted July 5th 2013

Aphrodite greeter chats, "Doubscribing does not protect an account from being purged due to inactivity.  Only buying doubs or sub time with real money - it doesn't matter the price, any purchase."

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Posted June 11th 2013 - Greeter privilege stripping for complaints/suspensions is automated

Sparklette greeter chats, "A friend of mine lost her greeter privileges she claims after being reported or something, she's wondering how can she gain them back"

Galene greeter chats, "No, there is no appeal for that, mates.  There may  have been long ago in the past when we did that manually, but it's all automated now.

The game code itself controls it, a suspension results in 6 months before you can greeter again. (The idea being, a greeter should always be aware of the rules and always following them-since you represent the game to new players)"

Madcrash greeter chats, "Adding on to that, what if it was a false report/blackspot?"

Galene greeter chats, "We have the ability to remove blackspots if they are misused so they do not affect greeter status.

But you don't have it removed for a "false complaint" since the complaint itself doesn't remove greeter, only the suspension does, and an OM actually investigates before suspending."

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Posted May 7th 2013 1:55 AM

Rayche greeter chats, "can someone help me get to Admiral island?"
Rayche greeter chats, "Got it thank ye. I am experienced on Cerulean not on this ocean"

Queendaggers greeter chats, "the rules for greeter chat are the same for all oceans"
Rayche greeter chats, "Aye to help greenies. I am technically a greenie to this ocaen"

Galene greeter chats, "Not sure how long ago that chat was-it's to help players, but not in a way that gives them an unfair advantage simply because they're a greeter.

So it's nice to whisk somebody sure-but it's unfair to people who don't qualify for greeter if greeters can get free whisks there-while those who can not greeter can not get free whisks."

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