The City by the Bay is the best place to enjoy a Thanksgiving bash, at least according to a new report.
The personal-finance website WalletHub ranked San Francisco as the top U.S. spot to celebrate Turkey Day. New York, home to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, didn’t even crack the top 10 of the cities the site surveyed, landing instead in position No. 37.
Still buzzing from last weekend’s UFC 295, Ariel, Chuck, and Petesy have a lot to get into on today’s show. First, the guys discuss this weekend’s final Bellator card and why the energy (or lack thereof) surrounding Bellator 301 is symbolic of the promotion’s entire existence. Then, the guys break down their latest pound-for-pound rankings before taking Discord questions about Alex Pereira’s legendary run, Ian Garry’s beef with Team Renegade, how the Saudis could convince Dana White to make the fight of the century, and more. Plus, a classic game of Buy or Sell.
To enter into our lovely Discord community, click this link.
TOPICS:
Intro (00:00)
The end of Bellator (03:07)
Why Bellator doesn’t invoke the same nostalgia Strikeforce does (08:49)
Saturday’s Paul Craig vs. Brendan Allen card at The Apex (21:02)
Ariel’s conundrum with getting Tom Aspinall into his November pound-for-pound rankings (24:19)
UFC fighters we feel most emotionally connected to (37:38)
How the Saudis could get Dana White to make Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou (57:30)
Buy or Sell (01:05:09)
Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall Producer: Troy Farkas
The Super Mario Bros. series is packed full of outstanding games, which means it’s time to take a look back at them and see which ones were the cream of the crop. Here’s our ranking of all the best Super Mario Bros. games.
Note: Due to the expansive nature of the Super Mario Bros. series, spin-offs have been omitted from the rankings. This includes: Mario Party, Mario & Luigi, Mario Maker, and more.
20. Super Mario Land
Image Source: Nintendo
Nintendo pulled off the impossible when they released Super Mario Land for the Game Boy. Many thought Mario’s gameplay was meant solely for home console releases. Thanks to Gunpei Yokoi, creator of the Game Boy, and the rest of the team at Nintendo’s R&D1, Super Mario Land was a successful port of the traditional Mario gameplay.
While the game didn’t do much to innovate Mario gameplay, it did introduce a fun alternative to traditional underwater levels by giving Mario access to a submarine capable of shooting missiles, transforming Mario into a side-scrolling shooter.
19. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Image Source: Nintendo
The second installment of the Land series saw the introduction of Mario’s infamous rival, Wario.
6 Golden Coins expanded on its predecessor with improved graphics, a save feature, and new power-ups. Unlike the original game, 6 Golden Coins added a significant amount of gameplay. Mario could now explore six new worlds in his quest to thwart Wario’s evil plan.
18. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Image Source: Nintendo
The Wii release of New Super Mario Bros. transplanted the agility of Mario’s DS foray and mixed it beautifully with cooperative gameplay. The resulting game, when played with three other friends, transforms the usual precision of a typical side-scrolling Mario game into a chaotic game of precision and teamwork.
The biggest downside to the game is its difficulty – or lack of it. The game is pretty easy, even allowing players to “bubble” to safety at the tap of a button should they venture off a cliff or come dangerously close to an enemy Koopa.
17. Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels
Image Source: Nintendo
The official sequel to the original Super Mario Bros game didn’t come to the US for quite some time, due to Nintendo believing the game to be too difficult for American audiences.
Fortunately, given the crazy success of Mario in general, they ultimately released this “Super Mario 2,” as The Lost Levels. Instead of walking you around the mechanics of the game, Lost Levels pushes you into the deep end right from world 1-1. This game is meant for people who’ve mastered the original game – the added challenge is nice, but can be discouraging for new players.
16. New Super Mario Bros. 2
Image Source: Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros. 2 holds on to its “new” moniker, and actually means it. The focus of NSMB2 is coins. Lots of coins. The game motivates players to actually collect coins, by making it feel good to actually grab them. The key? Shoving loads of coins in players faces, and giving players access to new power-ups, like the Golden Block, which continues to give Mario coins the faster he runs.
This simple gameplay tweak introduces an interesting new dynamic: throw caution to the wind and collect tons of coins. However, racing towards the end of the level now comes with a risk – death. This gambling-esque gameplay tweak is fun and refreshing. But for all the coins the game manages to shove in players faces, it doesn’t do much to reward greedy players.
15. New Super Mario Bros. (NDS)
Image Source: Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros. breathes a breath of fresh air into the traditional side-scrolling Mario experience. Mario retains his acrobatic abilities first introduced in Super Mario 64, and allows Mario to traverse a 2d landscape with style.
Fun new power-ups like the Propellor Mushroom and the Giant Mushroom force players to approach levels in new ways. And of all the “New” Super Mario games, this original DS title has the most cohesive level design, by forcing players to navigate thoughtfully made worlds.
14. New Super Mario Bros. U/New Super Luigi U
Image Source: Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros U iterates on the cooperative gameplay introduced in the Wii version of New Super Mario Bros, and expands on it by introducing a fifth player to the mix via use of the Wii U gamepad. This fifth player has the ability to draw platforms and stun enemies.
New Super Luigi U ups the difficulty ten-fold, bringing a challenging new take on an otherwise easy game.
13. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Image Source: Nintendo
Despite the confusing name and shift to a more action-oriented gameplay style, Yoshi’s Island features some of the most interesting level design in the series. There’s tons of collectibles and each level has many different routes. If you compare the levels of Yoshi’s Island to Mario World, it’s clear that the former’s levels are much longer and more explorative.
Despite all the excellent level design and charm the game has going for it, there are some annoyances. The game manages to elevate player stress through its clever timer mechanic and crying Baby Mario. Should an enemy manage to land a hit on Yoshi, the little green dinosaur sheds Baby Mario from his back, and players are then forced to scramble their way back towards a crying Mario trapped in a floating bubble threatening to float away. We still hear that crying Mario in our dreams sometimes, and it’s one of the reasons this game isn’t higher than it is on the list.
12. Super Mario Bros. 2
Image Source: Nintendo
This unofficial sequel to the original Super Mario Bros game was actually a completely different game to begin with. Before the Mario title was added to the cartridge, Super Mario Bros 2 was actually a game called Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic.
The resulting game is classic Mario gameplay with an action-adventure twist. Not only does the game introduce a new cast of characters in addition to Mario, each with their own unique abilities, but it also allows players to go on the offensive by throwing items at enemies. The dream-like nature of the levels makes progression interesting and refreshing, ensuring players never grow weary of whatever challenge lies ahead.
11. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Image Source: Nintendo
The 10-year return of 2D Mario couldn’t have been better. Not only does Super Mario Wonder give Mario fans unique mechanics and gimmicks that surprise at every turn, but the game honors the series’ 30-year legacy with it’s familiar tight control scheme and classic roots. Super Mario Wonder feels like a modern-day Super Mario World; the secret exits, special world, and level design are prevelant in both games.
What sets this title apart is the fresh ideas and concepts across every level. This tremendous variety between levels makes the 2D Platforming genre fresh and exciting again, just when it was starting to feel overdone with Mario Maker 2. The only things keeping Super Mario Wonder from the taking the top spots on this list are its easy difficulty and derivative boss battles.
10. Super Mario 3D Land
Image Source: Nintendo
One of the few rare games to actually make excellent use of the 3DS’ 3D capabilities, Super Mario 3D Land brings the excellent design of 3D Mario games and squishes them into bite-sized chunks perfect for any road trip.
For those who aren’t big fans of New Super Mario’s gameplay, Super Mario 3D Land is intimate and puzzle-heavy. Perfect for player who want to feel invested in the portable world.
9. Super Mario Bros.
Image Source: Nintendo
The game that started a legacy, and provided the gaming industry the shot in the arm it needed to stay alive, Super Mario Bros is a definitive masterpiece.
In terms of design and mechanics, Super Mario Bros reinforces player expectations through thoughtful, unobtrusive “teaching” moments disguised as challenges. Many platformers look to the source for inspiration, even newer Mario games, but few come close to capturing the feel of of loading into world 1-1 for the first time.
8. Super Mario Sunshine
Image Source: Nintendo
Mario’s shift to a higher polygon count came with a fresh new coat of paint – literally. Sunshine introduces a new twist to the standard Mario gameplay by giving Mario access to a new world to play around in and a new tool: F.L.U.D.D.
This super-soaker backpack not only allows Mario to clean up the graffiti-drenched walls of the tropical Delfino Plaza, it also helps Mario traverse the land with new power-ups. Tired of walking from place to place? Slap on the jet, and race around the world at break-neck speeds. Having trouble with a distant platform? Switch nozzles to “hover,” and gracefully glide across the air.
Despite all the new additions to Mario’s repertoire and world, Sunshine falls painfully short of Super Mario 64’s open-world design by forcing players to return to the main hub world after completing any objective, as opposed to SM64’s design that allowed players to freely float from objective to objective at their leisure.
7. Super Mario 64
Image Source: Nintendo
Mario’s first appearance on the N64 shook the gaming world to the core. The 2D franchise was successfully brought into the third dimension, and showcased what a Z-axis provided for video games as a whole.
The brilliance of the game can be seen in the design of the Castle Courtyard seen shortly after Mario’s introduction. Players needed time to adjust to this added dimension of gameplay, and this courtyard served as a playground to see what new moves Mario picked up in the transition.
But Super Mario 64’s appeal isn’t limited to a retrospective glance. Despite being an early 3D hodgepodge of clumpy polygons, SM64 holds up remarkably well thanks to brilliant world design and challenges. Each new world introduced in SM64 adds a new layer of expectations for players, testing their mettle against the rising challenges presented as you progress throughout the game. Good luck acquiring all 120 stars though…
6. Super Mario 3D World
Image Source: Nintendo
Super Mario 3D World is a culmination of the cooperative mechanics introduced in the New Super Mario Bros. console games, with the thoughtful level design of the 3D Mario games.
3D World retains the charm of uncovering secrets strewn about the beautiful environments, while injecting a shot of stressful mania that comes about when one player decides to stray away and do things for themselves. Plus – cat suit power-ups!
5. Super Mario Galaxy 2
Image Source: Nintendo
The original Super Mario Galaxy was the first to bring players to space. Galaxy 2 was the reason for keeping them there. After having time to toy with 3D level design, Galaxy 2 features some of the most inventive level design in any Mario game.
But, the lack of any substantive hub world left the player rather lonely. Cohesion is an important part of tying all the levels together, and for Galaxy 2, it is sorely missed.
4. Super Mario Galaxy
Image Source: Nintendo
While Super Mario Sunshine shied away from the open level design of Super Mario 64, Galaxy retains it and brings it into the next logical representation of 3D space – space itself.
Bringing Mario to space brought with it an ability to overhaul traditional Nintendo level-design. While Galaxy 2 has arguably better level design, the original Galaxy has the luxury of being the first to wow audiences with a novel with a novel world….er, space.
3. Super Mario Odyssey
Image Source: Nintendo
Mario’s tremendous 3D streak reaches a climax with Super Mario Odyssey. This exemplifies the best in 3D platforming. Each stage is filled to the brim with creative challenges and fun collectibles. The hat transformations are a game-changer and completely freshen up the gameplay mechanics as if it were a different genre entierly at times.
There are no less than 50 hat transformations in Super Mario Odyssey, from a ridiculous T-Rex dinosaur to the series classic, Bullet Bill. This game is challenging, has tremendous depth, and has consistent quality through every single level. It’s also one of the very best Mario games of all time, so do yourself a favor and play it.
2. Super Mario Bros. 3
Image Source: Nintendo
In 1988 players all around the world thought that game developers had maximized the potential of what the NES hardware. Then Super Mario Bros. 3 released.
The world first gained a glimpse at the sequel to the beloved Mario Bros. franchise in the 80s film The Wizard, and what they glimpsed was a world of wonder and intrigue. SMB3 was completely different from the Mario games of the past. Sure – it still revolved around platforming, but now, Mario could bank power-ups, traverse floating airships, and utilize a wide variety of crazy new abilities that changed the fundamental nature of a Mario game.
1. Super Mario World
Image Source: Nintendo
Super Mario World debuted on the Super Nintendo in 1991 cementing Nintendo’s position as the premier console of the early 90s. Many games since have attempted at recreating the precise platforming, genuine feel-good momentum, and inventive power-up design, but none have come close to this platforming powerhouse.
Despite being a platformer, Super Mario World subverts the genre expectations by allowing players multiple ways of clearing new levels and old, thus incentivizing players to make their way back to previously completed locations. If you have yet to play this Mario masterpiece, you owe it to yourself to track down a copy.
Matthew Carmosino is a freelance writer for Twinfinite. He started gaming in the mid-90s where his love for SquareSoft RPGs like Chrono Trigger changed him forever. Matthew has been working in the game industry for two years covering everything from story-rich RPGs to puzzle-platformers.
Listening to piano music on a rainy day is his idea of a really good time, which probably explains his unnatural tolerance for level-grinding.
*You’re back in middle school. It’s the first day of Sex Ed. The teacher writes a word you don’t know, “Puberty” on the blackboard and begins her lesson*
Puberty is an exciting, yet perplexing time in a young person’s life. You’ll go through so many changes, it’s almost like a complete transformation. You’ll soon become a hairy, slobbering, animalistic thing with absolutely no control over your desires. Like a werewolf! Yes, you’ll all turn into a pack of teen wolves! *titters*
So, to celebrate your upcoming transformations, I’m giving you all a special assignment! I’ve ranked the best werewolf movies of all time, and I’d like you all to write a report on how each of these movies relates to you.
Let’s go over them, shall we?
15. The Curse of the Werewolf
(Hammer Film Productions)
Terence Fisher’s The Curse of a Werewolf is a scary little flick from the 60s, but the action takes place in the 1700s! That’s right! People have been going through these kinds of “changes” since long before you kids were born! This film tells the story of a young man named Leon, who was born on Christmas Day. People believe that being born on such a date will cause him to lead a cursed life. How wrong they were! The circumstances surrounding the young man’s birth cause him to grow into a big, hairy wolfman! How lucky! The only problem is, the surrounding townsfolk don’t seem to think so.
14. Silver Bullet
(Paramount Pictures)
Daniel Attias’ Silver Bullet is inspired by a Stephen King story called Cycle of the Werewolf. And if Steve King knows anything about anything, it’s puberty! The film is about a paraplegic boy named Marty who is convinced that a werewolf is stalking his sleepy little town. After his sister builds Marty a wheelchair that doubles as a sweet motorcycle, they head to stop the monster!
13. Wolf
(Columbia Pictures)
How did A-list actor Jack Nicholson end up in Mike Nichols’ campy horror/drama film Wolf? Your guess is as good as mine! After a middle-aged book salesman is bitten by a werewolf, he begins to experience a pep in his step that he hasn’t felt since he was a teenager! And he uses it to eat would-be muggers in Central Park!
12. Trick’r Treat
Michael Dougherty’s Trick’r Treat is an anthology horror film about Halloween legends, but its werewolf story is one of the best around! Dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, a young girl named Laurie gets ready to go to a Halloween party with her friends. Along the way, they tease her and tell her to find a man at the party so she can have her “first time”. On the way to the party, she finds herself stalked by a masked man, but the real wolf in this situation is not who it seems!
11. Late Phases
(Dark Sky Films)
Adrián García Bogliano’s Late Phases seems like a werewolf film on the surface, but really it’s about father/son bonding! After all, who better to talk a young man through all the changes his body is going through than dear old dad? After the dear old dad in this film is moved into a retirement home by his estranged son, he realizes that the community is haunted by a werewolf. Father and son will have to team up in order to defeat the beast, and in doing so wrestle with an even bigger monster: male/male intimacy.
10. Teen Wolf
(Atlantic releasing corporation)
Teen Wolf is a clever little film about a nice young basketball player who begins undergoing some mysterious changes himself! He grows hair all over his body, and initially, it makes him so afraid that he quits his basketball team! Later at a party, he starts experiencing some urges towards one of the girls in his class, and it causes his hands to turn into claws! He goes home and talks to his father about it (something you boys should all do) and his father tells him that he too is a werewolf!
9. Wolfen
(Orion Pictures)
Now this movie is a little bit … scarier. But I assure you, puberty is nothing to be afraid of! As you experience these “changes” in your body, you might find yourself getting a little… emotional. You might find you want to yell into a pillow or punch a wall. You might even find that you want to maul a person to death. But don’t do that now! Or else you’ll turn up like the werewolf in this film! This werewolf attracts the attention of an NYPD detective on the mean streets of New York City who is trying to solve a series of grisly animal attacks! Wouldn’t want to end up in jail now, would you?
8. The Wolf of Snow Hollow
(Orion Classics)
Here’s another film about a werewolf who couldn’t control their urges and becomes the target of law enforcement! Except this movie takes place in a little mountain town in Utah! See, it’s not just big city people who go become werewolves—I mean, experience puberty. Everybody does it! The unfortunate thing for these townspeople is that one particular werewolf isn’t doing a very good job of controlling their new urges. The results aren’t pretty. But I know you students can do better!
7. Werewolves Within
(Ubisoft Film & Television)
This goofy little movie is all the more proof that there’s a werewolf in all of us! It’s about another small little town (I’m sensing a theme!) that begins to experience a number of mysterious maulings in the night. First, a poor little doggie is killed, then people start turning up dead. The townspeople eventually start to lose trust in each other, and accusations are thrown about. Eventually, the werewolf isn’t the only thing in the little town that turns to violence. May this movie be a lesson for you to be patient with your peers, even if one of you turns up dead. After all, they’re going through the same thing you are!
6. The Howling
(International Film Investors / Wescom Productions)
The Howling is another movie on this list that’s on the darker side. It’s about a news anchor named Karen who suffers amnesia while she’s helping the police catch a serial killer who’s been stalking her. At the urging of her therapist, she and her husband go away to a sleepy little therapeutic resort to rest and recuperate. Eventually, Karen and her husband begin to experience strange goings-on at the resort, as the people there may all be suffering from a supernatural sort of ailment, if you catch my drift. But don’t worry, children, puberty isn’t supernatural. It just feels like you’re turning into a hideous monster sometimes.
5. Dog Soldiers
(Kismet Entertainment Group)
Sometimes, children, puberty is going to feel like a war that you’re fighting with yourself. You versus the ferocious and uncontrollable beast inside of you. You simply have to soldier on, just like the brave men in this film! They’re a group of soldiers who quite literally have to fight a horde of ferocious beasts. The film is about a squad of British soldiers who come across the scene of a massacre while on a training exercise on a full-moonlit night. The men realize that something is hunting them, and they have to take shelter in a spooky old farmhouse to wait out the night. Maybe we should lock you all in farmhouses in order to protect you from yourselves!
4. The Company of Wolves
(Palace Pictures / ITC Entertainment)
When experiencing puberty, you may find that you start having certain kinds of dreams. If these dreams are about some teen heart-throb on the TikTok, that’s normal. However, if they’re about being chased by slavering packs of feral canines, that might be something to tell an adult about. But you’re not alone! Because that’s exactly what happens to the heroine of this film! Eventually, this young lady meets a handsome hunter in the forest, and discovers that she has an animalistic attraction to him! Again, this is totally normal! Unless of course supernatural wolves are involved. In which case, please see your guidance counselor.
3. Ginger Snaps
(Lionsgate)
Oh, this is one of the best coming-of-age werewolf movies there is! It’s about two young women named Ginger and Bridgette who live in a sleepy little part of suburbia. One night, Ginger gets something called her “period.” It’s something we’re going to cover in detail later, but, um … blood is involved. The scent of her blood causes her to be attacked by a creature in the night. However, she discovers that the next day her wounds have all healed! Her sister Bridgette senses that something is wrong, however, and has to figure out a way to save Ginger from the lupine fate that awaits her!
2. The Wolf Man
(Universal)
If you learn anything from this film, children, it’s that people have been going through puberty for generations, even those old-timey people who talk in those funny accents! It’s about a man who, due to his unstrained urges, buys an antique silver cane in order to impress the cute shopkeeper. As he is walking home, he is attacked by a wolf! He thwacks it to death with his fancy new cane, but he later learns that he has actually murdered a man! Later on, he meets a Romani woman who tells him that he killed her son and that he is now a werewolf! Let it be a lesson to you, children, never spend money on “drip” in order to “stunt” on a “shortie.” You’ll only end up hurting yourself!
1. An American Werewolf In London
(Universal Pictures)
Here it is, children, the greatest werewolf film of all time! The film was probably inspired by a very talented man named Warren Zevon, who wrote what you children would call a “banger” about werewolves in the United Kingdom! It’s about two young men named Jack and David who are attacked by a wolf while backpacking through the British countryside on a moonlit night. Poor Jack is killed by the wolf, while the other boy David survives. However, David soon begins having some strange dreams! He begins dreaming about his best friend (something many of you children may soon experience for yourselves) who warns David that he didn’t come out of the attack unscathed. David is cursed to go through a series of extraordinary changes himself!
Just like you adorable children are cursed to turn into filthy teenagers! The film features perhaps the greatest werewolf transformation ever recorded, and the sequence is set to another “banger” called “Bad Moon Rising,” written by Mr. John Fogarty of Creedence Clearwater Revival. My stars, I sure had some urges having to do with that man when I was your age!
Well children, I certainly hope that clears up some of your questions about puberty. Now, if you all will please open your textbooks to page – oh no! I’ll have none of that eye-rolling sass! Like you, I’m rather tired myself. I had a rather late night last night. I can simply never sleep during a full moon, but I haven’t the faintest idea why!
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Reclaiming lost links — such an interesting phrase that tends to be ignored by people who should actually give it a chance. It’s possible that broken links are to blame for the drop in search rankings your website has experienced recently. It is possible for lost links to have a detrimental influence on the search engine optimization of your website; however, there is a strategy that can be used to reclaim lost links and boost your search rankings.
This article will help show you a new aspect of link exchange strategies that will broaden your knowledge horizons, especially regarding the lost link crisis that businesses tend to neglect.
In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through a method that has been shown to be effective in reclaiming lost links and increasing the exposure of your website.
Your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) and overall exposure can suffer significantly as a result of broken links. It is possible for you to suffer a loss of valuable backlinks if a website that had previously connected to yours decides to remove or alter the link.
Backlinks are extremely important for a website’s search engine rankings since they show other websites and search engines that your website can be trusted and is an authority in its field. Once you have full knowledge of the significance of lost links, you will be able to take the actions required to retrieve them and enhance the search rankings of your website.
Identifying broken internal links: The step before the lost link strategy
The process of fixing broken internal links is the first step in the process of link reclamation and is an essential step toward improving the usability of your website. You have the choice of using commercial tools such as Ahrefs Site Explorer and DeepCrawl in order to detect broken links on your own website, or you can make use of free tools such as Google Analytics and Screaming Frog’s SEO Spider. Both of these options are available to you. With the free version of the SEO Spider, you can crawl up to 500 URLs; if you have a more significant website to crawl, you will need to pay to upgrade.
Fixing broken links
The next thing you should do is fix any broken links! Visit every page on your website that contains broken links, and either update or replace the URLs on those pages.
It is important to keep in mind that you may be required to completely remove a link if you discover an outdated link that cannot be restored or if you discover a link that was neglected during the redesign of your website.
Finding a lost external backlink may sound complicated. However, it is really not that hard to do. But hey! That’s why I’m here, so allow me to walk you through it all.
Finding lost or broken backlinks is the next step you should take after you have finished cleaning up the broken links on your own website.
It may be more difficult to regain lost backlinks than it is to mend internal connections since you do not have access to external links; the other site’s owner decides whether or not you can reclaim lost backlinks. Fixing internal links is easier.
You can use paid tools like Majestic or the Ahrefs Site Explorer in addition to SEO Review Tools’ free Backlink Checker to find broken backlinks pointing to your website.
Regaining lost backlinks from external sources
In summary, here are some of the most necessary steps that you should follow in order to regain a lost link from an external source:
Contact the website that linked to you: If the website that linked to you made a mistake and removed the backlink, get in touch with them and politely request that they reinstate the link. Give them access to any information or resources that they might require in order to help them through the process.
Repair any broken links: If the backlink was lost because of a broken link on your website, repair the link as quickly as you can. You may find and repair any broken links on your website by using a program that checks for and reports on broken links.
Create new content: If the reason you lost backlinks was because the content on your website was out of date or irrelevant, make new content that is both important and interesting. This will encourage other websites to link back to you.
Create new backlinks: As a last step, you should give some thought to creating new backlinks to your website by means of guest articles, outreach and various other link-building tactics. It is possible that doing this will increase the overall authority and exposure of your website, increasing the likelihood that other websites will link back to you in the future.
Pro tip: Offer value in exchange for the lost link
When reaching out to website owners to reclaim lost links, it’s important to offer something of value in exchange. This could be additional content, a guest blog post or a collaboration opportunity. By providing something valuable, you increase the chances of the website owner reinstating the link.
Make sure to highlight the benefits they will receive by linking back to your website, such as increased traffic or access to your audience. Remember to personalize your offer and tailor it to the specific website and its audience. Offering value in exchange for the lost link can help strengthen your relationship with the website owner and improve your chances of success in reclaiming the link.
Now that you’ve reached the end of this article, I’ll assume that you have a basic (maybe even a detailed) overview of the whole process of lost link reclaiming. Most businesses that aim for better rankings largely ignore broken links. They tend to focus more on SEO strategies that are proven to work effectively. For that reason, and because people are not giving lost links the attention they deserve, we created this quick guide for you.
Luca Brecel became the first player in Crucible history to erase a nine-frame deficit as he beat Si Jiahui 17-15 in a thrilling contest to reach the final of the World Snooker Championship; “To win is absolutely unbelievable, it is the biggest game of my life. I was in disbelief”
Last Updated: 29/04/23 6:53pm
Luca Brecel celebrates his famous win over Si Jiahui
Luca Brecel produced the greatest-ever Crucible comeback as he won 11 frames in a row against Si Jiahui to book his place in the World Snooker Championship final.
The Belgian, who conquered Ronnie O’Sullivan in the quarter-finals, looked certain to be heading home as he trailed 14-5 in the race to 17 after a dominant opening by Si.
But he started his miraculous recovery by winning the final five frames of Friday’s night session and offered up more of the same on Saturday afternoon to complete a remarkable 17-15 victory.
In doing so Brecel became the first player in Crucible history to overturn a nine-frame deficit as he booked his first final in Sheffield, having never previously got past the first round.
It was difficult not to feel some sympathy for Si, who at 20 years old looked set to become the youngest Crucible finalist in history, as he looked increasingly solemn in his chair as Brecel won frame after frame.
Brecel leans in disbelief after wrapping up his incredible comeback win
To his credit he stopped Brecel’s run of 11 in a row with a composed break of 91 and then had chances to send the match into a final-frame decider before a clipped red along the cushion allowed the Belgian to close out a famous victory.
Brecel told BBC Sport: “At 14-12, 14-13 I knew I had a chance, but I think 14-14 I was really believing it because I could see he was struggling and I was playing great stuff.
“But I knew I could have lost as well. To win is absolutely unbelievable, it is the biggest game of my life. I was in disbelief, I was shaking.
“The whole game I was expecting to lose, even with a session to spare, so to even have a chance to win was the craziest feeling ever in my body and I can’t believe I did it.
“I have never won a game here and now I am in the final, it is some story. It is going to take a while to sink in.”
Brecel and Si Jiahui embrace following their thrilling semi-final
Si hopes the punishing loss can help him become a better player.
“I was feeling kind of disappointed, but not very, he played nearly perfect snooker in the final two sessions and my safety let me down,” he said.
“I have realised there are flaws in my game, there are so many things I can still improve, so in the coming season I will be confident I can beat anyone.”
Brecel will play either Mark Allen or Mark Selby in the final, with their semi-final coming to a finish later on Saturday.
Allen won three of the final four frames of the morning session to reduce his deficit to 11-10.
Former champion Stephen Hendry accused the pair of casting a “dark cloud” over the Crucible with their attritional play during a second session on Friday that was halted three frames early.
Spain’s Francisco Sanchez Ruiz is the new champion of the world after defeating Mohammad Soufi 13-10 in the World Pool Championship final in Kielce, Poland; the world No 1 will now head on to the Premier League Pool and World Pool Masters
Last Updated: 05/02/23 9:55pm
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz won the World Pool Championship in Poland
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz won the nine-ball World Pool Championship, with the Spanish superstar defeating Syrian Mohammad Soufi in Sunday’s final.
Sanchez Ruiz, who was forced to come from behind against Mario He to reach the final, took a 6-4 lead in the race to 13 but a miss on the four in rack 11 brought Soufi in to cut the deficit back to one.
Just when it seemed the Syrian outsider would find momentum, a scratch on the break allowed his opponent to enter the fray and sweep in for an 8-7 lead.
Sanchez Ruiz took advantage of another Soufi mistake to take control of proceedings by establishing a two-rack buffer reaching double figures in the process and moving three away from the title.
The Spaniard appeared to have sussed the break and he soon reached the hill.
He pounced after Soufi’s break in the 23rd rack left the one and eight locked together to seal a memorable victory.
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Sanchez Ruiz pocketed the two off an incredible fluke at the World Pool Championship
Sanchez Ruiz pocketed the two off an incredible fluke at the World Pool Championship
Sanchez Ruiz now holds the US Open Pool Championship, World Cup of Pool, and World Pool Championship titles in the nine-ball arena.
He said: “It’s an amazing feeling. I have no voice. I felt the pressure. I had an unbelievable year last year but this is the first of this year and I cannot believe it.
“I didn’t play my best in the final but I fought for it and I got the end result.
“I knew I could lose a game with someone like Mohammad. He is very good and strong. I played my game though, I am so tired, I feel unbelievable, this is my biggest title for sure.”
Sanchez Ruiz hugs Mohammad Soufi after winning the World Pool Championship title
The world No 1 will now head on to the Premier League Pool and World Pool Masters.
“The last year when I won the big titles but when I won the Derby City Classic last year, everything changed in my mindset.
“I was playing good but I had never won a big title. When you win a big one, your confidence goes through the roof.
“There’s so much pressure in Matchroom events, you cannot compare it to any other.
“In the Mosconi Cup, I hadn’t felt something like that. When you play Mosconi, every tournament after, it feels like no pressure.”
We all make mistakes in planning for our golden years. But which are the worst, which are the most common, and which ones do we all need to watch out for?
Financial planners have weighed in with the top 10 they see among clients. It’s emerged in a survey conducted by money managers Natixis and just released. And it’s a terrific checklist for anyone who wants to see how they’re doing, and what they need to change.
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz wins the US Open Pool Championship in Atlantic City to take home the $50,000 first place prize and become the first Spaniard to win one of pool’s oldest majors; next up on Sky Sports is the Mosconi Cup from November 30 to December 3
Last Updated: 17/10/22 11:56am
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz claimed glory at the US Open Pool Championship in Atlantic City
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz claimed victory at the US Open Pool Championship in Atlantic City after beating Austria’s Max Lechner 13-10 to move to world No 1.
The Spaniard’s week in New Jersey ended with a memorable victory over Lechner – in front of a sell-out crowd – to break the $100,000 mark and overtake World Champion Shane Van Boening at the top of the rankings.
“It is unbelievable how it feels. I feel so happy. Congratulations to Max,” said Sanchez Ruiz. “Thank you to everyone for the support, I love you guys. It’s the biggest win in my career.
“There’s too many good feelings right now. I received the news of making the Mosconi Cup and it gave me so much. I want to say thank you to my team David Alcaide and Jose Alberto Delgado. It’s an unbelievable feeling, it really is.”
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Francisco Sanchez Ruiz nailed a golden break as the Spaniard won the US Open Pool Championship in Atlantic City
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz nailed a golden break as the Spaniard won the US Open Pool Championship in Atlantic City
Sanchez Ruiz nailed a golden break to make it 3-3 before Lechner made it 6-6 in a tight opening to the contest.
Sanchez Ruiz then opened up a 10-6 advantage in the race to 13 but his momentum was halted as the Austrian came storming back to reduce the deficit to 11-10.
However, Lechner scratched off the break to allow the Spaniard to get to the hill first before sealing a memorable win with a break and run.
Ready for the Mosconi Cup?
Next up is the 2022 Mosconi Cup from November 30 to December 3 at Bally’s Las Vegas where Jeremy Jones’ USA side will be looking to regain the Mosconi Cup back from Alex Lely’s European side – live on Sky Sports.
Both Team USA and Europe have three spots each locked up from the Live Nineball World Rankings with Shane Van Boening joined by Skyler Woodward and Oscar Dominguez this week for the Americans whilst Joshua Filler was joined by Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and Albin Ouschan.
The skippers as set to confirm their two wild card picks each to complete their sides ahead of the battle commencing in pool’s biggest battle.
With four weeks until Election Day, congressional candidates are on track to break midterm fundraising records, having raised nearly $2.5 billion so far this cycle. That’s already 70% more than what was raised during the 2014 cycle and just $200 million shy of the total raised during the full 2018 cycle.
This cycle has also seen record-shattering outside spending, topping $1 billion through the beginning of October, according to an OpenSecrets estimate.
The increase in spending and fundraising is due in large part to the involvement of millionaire and billionaire megadonors who have sought to influence the outcome of an election in which both chambers of Congress are in play.
“When megadonors pump millions of dollars into super PACs, they get to help call the shots,” said Michael Beckel, research director at Issue One, a nonpartisan political reform organization. “Massive spending from a megadonor can influence what issues are talked about on the campaign trail and in Congress.”
Super PACs are independent political action committees that can raise unlimited sums of money but are not allowed to coordinate with a candidate or campaign. Due to contribution limits, such as those restricting individuals’ candidate contributions to $2,900 per election per candidate, most megadonor spending goes to super PACs.
A MarketWatch analysis of Federal Election Commission data through the end of September shows that these 10 business moguls and philanthropists are the biggest federal-level donors this cycle.
Source: MarketWatch analysis of FEC data as of Sept. 30, 2022 Note: Partisan breakdown includes non-party affiliated PACs with over 95% of their spending benefitting one party, data has been rounded to the nearest thousand
Big spending by itself doesn’t automatically mean winning. There have been notable instances of the financially strongest candidates losing (such as crypto-backed House candidate Carrick Flynn earlier this year and billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s self-financed presidential bid) — but money can certainly help put a candidate on the right track.
“Money alone doesn’t guarantee electoral success, but every candidate prefers to be the one with more money to spend,” Beckel said. He added: “Outside spending on behalf of a candidate isn’t a silver bullet that’s going to guarantee electoral success. But it goes a long way to boosting somebody’s name recognition, and to presenting them as a viable candidate — somebody who has the resources to run a competitive campaign.”
Information about the spending by the top 10 donors this cycle has been compiled from MarketWatch’s analysis of FEC data and filings, super PAC websites and previously reported comments. Read on to find out who are the top 10 biggest donors this cycle.
10. Ryan Salame — $19 million
Ryan Salame, the co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, a subsidiary of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, founded a hybrid PAC earlier this year called American Dream Federal Action. The vast majority ($15 million) of the $19 million Salame has spent this cycle has gone into bankrolling the PAC, which has spent $2.4 million in independent expenditures supporting Illinois Republican Rep. Rodney Davis, $2 million supporting Republican Senate candidate Katie Britt from Alabama, and $1.2 million each supporting Arkansas GOP Sen. John Boozman and Brad Finstad, a GOP congressional candidate in Minnesota.
On its website, the PAC describes itself as “organization dedicated to electing forward-looking candidates — those who want to protect America’s long term economic and national security by advancing smart policy decisions now.” A representative for Salame didn’t respond to a request for comment.
9. Lawrence Ellison — $21 million
The co-founder of Oracle ORCL, +0.26%
has similarly bankrolled a PAC this election cycle — giving a total $20 million to Opportunity Matters Fund Inc. The super PAC has largely held onto its funds so far, recent FEC records show, having $17 million cash on hand as of the end of August. Of the independent expenditures it has made this cycle, it spent the most on Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker ($1.3 million), Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson ($1.3 million) and North Carolina Senate candidate and current Republican Rep. Ted Budd ($1.1 million). A representative for Ellison didn’t respond to a request for comment.
8. Stephen Schwarzman — $22 million
Billionaire Stephen Schwarzman, the CEO of private-equity giant Blackstone BX, -2.41%,
is the eighth biggest donor at the federal level this cycle. In March, Schwarzman gave $10 million to both the Senate Leadership Fund and Congressional Leadership Fund, super PACs aimed at obtaining a Republican majority in the Senate and House, respectively. A representative for Schwarzman didn’t respond to a request for comment.
7. Fred Eychaner — $22 million
Fred Eychaner has also contributed $22 million so far this cycle, but unlike most of the spending on this list, his has been directed toward Democratic causes. The chairman of Chicago-based Newsweb Corporation has given $9 million to the House Majority PAC and $8 million to the Senate Majority PAC, as well as just under $1.5 million to the Democratic National Committee and several hundred thousands to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. A representative for Eychaner didn’t respond to a request for comment.
6. Peter Thiel — $30 million
Venture capitalist Peter Thiel was heavily involved in backing Ohio Republican J.D. Vance’s primary bid, giving $15 million in the spring to the Vance-aligned Protect Ohio Values PAC.
The massive primary investment was “historic” and record-setting, according to Beckel, who added that Thiel’s involvement in the Ohio Senate primary could mark “a new chapter of how mega donors are choosing to play in politics.”
“I think it’s become clear for a lot of megadonors that there are high stakes to a lot of primaries, and by spending in the primary, where there is typically lower turnout than in say, a statewide general election, they can get a lot of bang for their buck by investing in a primary election,” Beckel added.
Thiel has indicated that he doesn’t intend to put any more money toward Vance’s bid as he reportedly believes the Ohio candidate is on track to win, and instead will focus his funding on Arizona Republican Blake Masters’ bid to oust Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in the final weeks leading up to the midterm election.
Thiel, known for his roles in PayPal PYPL, -1.69%,
Palantir PLTR, -0.25%
and Facebook META, -3.92%,
has also given a total $15 million to the Masters-aligned PAC, Saving Arizona, with his most recent contribution in July. Both Vance and Masters are venture capitalists, but Masters has worked with Thiel. He served as chief operating officer of Thiel Capital and president of the Thiel Foundation, and he co-authored a book on startups with Thiel in 2014. A representative for Thiel didn’t respond to a request for comment.
5. Jeff Yass — $33 million
Options trader Jeff Yass, who founded trading firm Susquehanna International Group, has contributed about $33 million on a federal level this cycle. Yass has given $15 million to the School Freedom Fund, or the equivalent of 97% of the PAC’s total fundraising. The group focuses on the issue of school choice, and its website states that some bureaucrats “hindered the development and education of our youth through school closures, mask mandates, critical race theory, and more.”
Aside from the School Freedom Fund, Yass’ other biggest contributions are to the conservative Club for Action ($6.5 million), Kentucky Freedom ($5 million), Protect Freedom ($2 million) and Crypto Freedom ($1.9 million). A representative for Yass didn’t respond to a request for comment.
4. Sam Bankman-Fried — $40 million
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder and CEO of FTX, is the main funder behind Protect Our Future PAC, giving it $27 million of the $28 million it raised this cycle.
The organization says on its website that it focuses on promoting Democratic candidates championing pandemic preparedness and prevention “so this is the last time in our lifetime, and our children’s lifetimes, that we will face the devastation that has gripped communities across the U.S. since 2020.”
The group spent more than $10 million supporting Democrat Carrick Flynn’s House bid in Oregon. Flynn lost his primary in May by 18 points despite his massive outside spending advantage. In addition to Flynn, the group has made over $1 million in independent expenditures each supporting Democratic congressional candidates Lucy McBath, a current representative from Georgia; Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Adam Hollier of Michigan, Valerie Foushee of North Carolina and Shontel Brown, a current representative from Ohio.
Most of the other $10 million Bankman-Fried spent this cycle has gone to the House Majority PAC ($6 million) and the crypto PAC GMI ($2 million).
While the vast majority of his spending has supported Democratic candidates and causes, Bankman-Fried does not classify himself as an exclusively Democratic donor — for instance he gave $105,000 to the Alabama Conservatives Fund in June and $45,000 to the NRCC in July.
He told Politico in August that he is “legitimately worried about doing things that will make people view me as partisan when it’s not how I feel … because I think it both misses what I’m trying to do and makes it harder for me to act constructively.” A representative for the FTX boss didn’t respond to a request for comment.
3. Richard Uihlein — $49 million
Richard Uihlein is the founder of the shipping and business supply company Uline, and is a longtime conservative donor. This cycle has seen nearly $50 million in political spending by him, with just over half of it going to Club for Growth Action. Uihlein has also given about $14 million to Restoration PAC, an organization that says it is “dedicated to strengthening the foundations that made America the greatest nation in the world: God, family, education, and community.”
Uihlein’s next largest contributions are to the conservative Team PAC ($2.5 million) and the Arkansas Patriots Fund ($2.2 million), which earlier this year made ad buys favoring Republican Sen. John Boozman’s primary opponent. A representative for Uihlein didn’t respond to a request for comment.
2. Ken Griffin — $51 million
With $51 million in federal-level political spending, Ken Griffin, CEO of hedge fund Citadel, is the second most prolific donor this cycle.
The biggest beneficiaries are the Republican-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund with $18.5 million in contributions, the Senate Leadership Fund with $10 million and Honor Pennsylvania, a super PAC that backed Republican Dave McCormick’s Senate bid. McCormick lost in the primary to Mehmet Oz by less than a thousand votes.
While Griffin spent about $64 million during the last cycle, his $51 million figure this year marks by far the most he has spent during a midterm cycle. During the 2018 cycle, his contributions totaled less than $8 million.
A spokesperson for Griffin told MarketWatch that Griffin “supports leaders who are committed to protecting the American Dream and pursuing policies that will create a better future for the United States.”
“The right policies will focus on creating rewarding jobs, prioritizing public safety, and investing in a strong national defense,” his spokesperson said. “Preserving the American Dream will require that every child is well educated, can access great healthcare, and has the opportunity to succeed.”
1. George Soros — $129 million
Not one donor comes close to matching the sum that billionaire philanthropist George Soros has contributed this cycle: $129 million. However, much of that money hasn’t actually been put to work this cycle.
The majority of those on this list have focused their funding on Republican causes, but Soros’ money has gone to Democratic groups — specifically Democracy PAC II, whose $125 million in contributions comprises 99% of its fundraising. The super PAC spent more than $80 million on Democratic groups and candidates during the 2020 election.
A representative for Soros pointed MarketWatch to a Politico article from January, in which Soros said the $125 million is aimed at supporting pro-democracy “causes and candidates, regardless of political party” who are invested in “strengthening the infrastructure of American democracy: voting rights and civic participation, civil rights and liberties, and the rule of law” and called his contribution a “long-term investment” that will support political work beyond this year.
So far this cycle, Democracy PAC has spent very little and holds $113 million in available cash. Contributions the PAC has made this cycle include $5 million to the Senate Majority PAC, $2.5 million to One Georgia and $1 million to both Care in Action and House Majority PAC.
