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On June 24, Lucas Uchida made the third ascent of The Megg V14 in the North Wall boulders of Squamish. Established by Gabe Lawson in January this year, The Megg is a 20-foot bloc thats quintessential Squamish in style. It features bad feet, lousy slopers, crystal crimping, and technical, balancey body positioning. A few weeks ago on June 4,American climber Andy Lamb made the first repeat of the problem. He discovered new beta, dropping the V16 grade originally proposed by Lawson to V14.

Such a stunning line to finish off, Uchida said via Instagram. Probably one of the best and purest in the forest. He added his thoughts about the grade: Speaking to the controversy and questions surrounding the grade, I feel that it is on par with some of the other V14s around. It is just my own opinion though, and should not take away from the fact it is still a hard high quality line.

To learn a little bit more about his experience with The Megg, I reached out to Uchida with a few questions.

How many days did you spend working the problem? [I spent] probably around 6 sessions or so.

Did you use the same beta as Andy Lamb? [Our beta was] very similar. I used a slightly different foot for the very first move.

What was the crux for you? The crux for me was actually a bump at the third move. It was so wideand hard to execute after the first three moves.

How were the conditions? I heard they werent ideal in the North Walls that day. [It was] kind of humid, but it cooled off and I was able to get a fan going on the sloper for the first move.

The Megg is not Uchidas first big send of 2023. Like last year, hes again on a tear through some of Squamishs hardest boulders. In early May, the 25-year-old Canadian made the first ascent of Seven V14, a low start to Lesson Six V10, first opened by Jason Kehl in 2005. Uchida then went on to pick up repeats of Tim Doyles Velco Low V13 and the wild Zazen V15. Originally established by Harry Robertson in 2003 and graded V13, a key hold broke off Zazen shortly after the FA. The problem went 20 years without an ascent until Ethan Salvo solved the puzzle, making the first post-break ascent of the problem in February and proposing a new grade of V15. Uchidas send was the second since the breakage. Hes topped some ultra-classic V12s this season too, including The Proposal, Frontside, and The Method.

Uchida also had an incredible Squamish season in 2022. Some highlights include repeats of Room Service V12, The Pool Low V13, Room Service Low V14, Deadlift V14, North-North Ridge V14, The Singularity V14/15, and Dreamcatcher 5.14d, as well as an FA of Offenders of the Faith V13.

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Lucas Uchida Repeats The Megg V14 - Gripped Magazine

Level Infinite and Hotta Studio announced the Tower of Fantasy version 3.0 update launches on June 27 for the Android, iOS, and PC versions. The new update will introduce Domain Sector 9, a new area featuring new secrets, bosses, and additional gameplay challenges.

Domain 9 is located within the Aida Spacetime Singularity of the Vera Grand Sea in Tower of Fantasy. The region has been isolated from the rest of Vera for more than 100 years, earning it the title of Forgotten Realm by many Wanderers. Inside Domain 9, people have discovered a special location called the Black Jade Ruins. These ruins served as a major research site for Timestamp technology. This technology is vital toward combating Grayspace Entities known as Darkness. Players will learn more by exploring the area, solving puzzles, completing challenges, and much more in Tower of Fantasy version 3.0.

In version 3.0, Tower of Fantasy players may challenge two new Simulacrums. The first Simulacrum involves Liu Huo, the overseer of the captured Darkness. The second Simulacrum features Yulan, a prized fighter from Domain 9. In addition, players may also look forward to taking on Zhuyan, a new boss that awakens in the Black Jade Ruins.

Heres an overview of Tower of Fantasy version 3.0, via Level Infinite:

Domain 9 has four major zones, each inspired by the design elements of the Four Symbols, the mythical creatures from an ancient culture. Within the new map, Wanderers will get a first hand look at the technological strength of Domain 9 and be the first to try their hand at many new in-game puzzles and challenges in the jam-packed 3.0 update. Wanderers will also be able to utilize brand new modes of exploration such as relic Speedwalkers for skywalking, as well as new cruisers. New gameplay features will be introduced such as the New Smart Servant System and New Mentorship System, aiding Wanderers during difficult combat and recruiting mentors and apprentices to the platform. Wanderers can also wage battle with a new boss, Zhuyan, who was accidentally awakened in the Black Jade Ruins.

Two new Simulacrums will be added to the 3.0 update along with the plethora of new content. The first, Liu Huo, is responsible for overseeing the captured Darkness. Her fierce and passionate martial nature makes her the perfect girl for the job. With her Calligraphy Brush in tow, she is able to use its ink to defend against enemies.

The second new simulacrum, Yulan, is one of Domain 9s most successful fighters. She is admired by all who have dared to challenge her, and is able to wield the most technologically advanced weapon in all of Domain 9, which can create an airstream when used with timestamps.

Lastly, Tower of Fantasy is available now for Android, iOS, and PC. PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions launch on August 8.

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Tower of Fantasy Version 3.0 Update Launches June 27 - Final Weapon

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Superman: Lost #4!Of all the amazing powers Superman has been blessed with, one is absolutely crucial to figuring out where he is at all times. As Clark recounts his adventures in space, he reveals the ability he relies on most during his interstellar travels.

Secret Invasion: How The Blip SHOOK Nick Fury How ready is he? How much did the blip change him? Well, actor Samual L. Jackson, is here to answer

Superman has several incredible powers from flight, to laser vision and even freeze breath. But for all his strengths, none of them have helped him out much in his most recent dire adventure. After helping the Justice League stop a singularity at the bottom of the ocean, Superman was transported nearly 10 trillion kilometers away from Earth. He managed to get back within a day, but relative to him, the trip took two decades. In that time, Superman has seen new civilizations and fantastic new aliens such as space dolphins. But even for the Man of Steel, the trip was long, arduous and nearly too much even for his capabilities.

In Superman: Lost #4 by Christopher Priest and Carlo Pagulayan, Clark hit a snag in his travels across space. Rather than aimlessly wander through the universe, Superman has settled onto a planet he's named Kansas and built a small farm for himself. Clark reunites with Szhemi, an alien the hero met five years prior. Superman tells Szhemi that he spent several years trying to get back home, riding comets and using his super-hearing to try and navigate the cosmos. Clark reveals that rather than his incredibly enhanced vision, he relies on his hearing most to find his way across space, noting "space has a heartbeat". Unfortunately, he's simply too far from Earth to figure out where to go. Instead, he listened for the nearest planet, in this case, Kansas, and settled there.

Superman goes out into space a lot, and it's commonly assumed that it's not a big deal for him. But Superman: Lost establishes that traveling through space, even for the Man of Steel, is quite dangerous. While Clark has impressive sight thanks to his telescopic and X-ray vision, it doesn't exactly help him when he's peering out in the cold blackness of space. Super-hearing, however, can key the hero into familiar frequencies and pulsations throughout the cosmos. If it wasn't for his amazing hearing, Superman wouldn't be able to traverse the stars, greatly limiting his impact on the DC Universe.

As good a hero as Superman is on Earth, he's always willing to lend a hand wherever he can, even to other worlds. Though it's not routine, Clark has gone out to help other planets from forces they can't protect themselves from. But Superman would only take the risk of leaving Earth if he knew how to get home. Super-hearing is the only way someone like Clark knows how to navigate the long stretches of complete emptiness. Without such a skill, even Superman wouldn't take the risk of interstellar travel, meaning other planets in need of aid would be deprived of Clark's assistance. Readers can see just how important Clark's enhanced hearing is in Superman: Lost #4, on sale now.

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Without 1 Shocking Power, Superman Would Be Stranded on Earth - Screen Rant

Spocks ship from the 2009 Star Trek film has a surprising connection to Star Trek: The Next Generation. JJ Abrams 2009 reboot of the venerable franchise began when Spock was thrown back to the 23rd century, creating a new timeline. The ship Spock arrived in was only seen briefly in the film, but in Star Trek: Countdown #3, readers learn the ship, called the Jellyfish, was created by a Next Generation icon. The Countdown miniseries served as a bridge between the classic Star Trek universe and Abrams reboot.

Secret Invasion: How The Blip SHOOK Nick Fury How ready is he? How much did the blip change him? Well, actor Samual L. Jackson, is here to answer

In 2009, JJ Abrams, along with writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, breathed new life into the Star Trek franchise with a big-budget feature film. Recasting the iconic roles of Captain Kirk and Mister Spock, the movie spared no expense in bringing the 23rd century to new and vital life. Yet a way was needed to create this new timeline without disrespecting everything that came before. It was decided that Spock, in a bid to stop the Romulan sun from going supernova, would instead be thrown back through time, with a group of vengeful Romulans in close pursuit. These Romulans attacked the USS Kelvin, and the new timeline was born. The ship Spock traveled through time was one of the most unique looking starships seen in the franchise - the Jellyfish.

Related: Spock's Wrath of Khan Death Returns - But This Time He Has a Solution

And in Star Trek: Countdown #3 fans learn its origin. The issue, written by Mike Johnson and Tim Jones from a story by Orci and Kurtzman, and drawn by David Messina, sees Picard and Spock race against time to contain a destructive chain reaction that is threatening to destroy the galaxy. It has already claimed Romulus, and within weeks it will threaten the heart of the Federation. Spock devises an idea: plant a red matter bomb in it and create a singularity to siphon the energy. The idea is sound, and Picard tells Spock he has just the craft to do it. He introduces Spock to the Jellyfish. This tiny, experimental vessel can withstand atmospheric conditions that would destroy a conventional starship. Picard also reveals the ship is theirs to use, due to a personal link to its creator. Arriving at the facility, fans learn the Jellyfish was designed by Geordi La Forge.

The Jellyfish proved more than capable of its mission: it withstood forces and conditions that would have destroyed other ships. The Jellyfish also survived a trip through a singularity and a trip back through time. It was clearly a uniquely well-designed ship, but Countdown does not reveal if any more were made beyond the prototype. Nothing like the Jellyfish has been seen in the new Star Trek shows - perhaps its disappearance erroneously convinced Starfleet the ship was not up to scratch when, ironically, it's one of Starfleets best designs in history.

It should come as no surprise, then, that it was designed by Geordi La Forge. Gerodi was the Chief of Engineering aboard the Enterprise for the second through the seventh seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In that time, his engineering prowess saved the Enterprise countless times. He has taken what he learned from his time on the ship and parlayed it into making some truly mind-bending starships, further adding reverance for the larger franchise to the creation of the Kelvin Timeline. While Star Trek movie fans might not have known it, Spock isn't just piloting any ship in the movie, but rather the masterwork of The Next Generation's Geordi La Forge.

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Spock's Kelvin Timeline Ship Has a Huge Next Generation Connection - Screen Rant

Majority of Brits say Pride-focused brand activity is for PR purposes

Consumers have a negative view of the sincerity of brands efforts to support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride month.

YouGov data shows 75% of the 6,000 people surveyed believe brands activity around Pride month is solely for PR purposes rather than a sincere desire to show support for the LGBTQ+ community, a figure which rise to 79% when LGB+ consumers are asked.

Those who believe that brands do have a sincere desire to support the queer community is less than a tenth of the sample (7%) and although the figure rises slightly for those in the LGB+ community (12%), it is despairingly low for brands investing in a Pride marketing campaign.

There are some generational differences at play with younger consumers (18 to 24) nearly three times more likely than those aged 65+ to believe brands are being sincere in their Pride communications (11% versus 4%), however, two-thirds of 18 to 24-year-olds are equally as cynical about the intentions of brands and believe it to be for PR purposes.

The data indicates most UK consumers believe brands are engaging in rainbow-washing where positive messages about the LGBTQ+ community are put out with the expectation of very little in the way of action to support them beyond kind words.

Source: YouGov

Grocery inflation has fallen to the lowest level so far this year, dropping to 16.5% in the four weeks to 11 June 2023.

Despite this being the lowest level of inflation in 2023 so far, it is the sixth-highest monthly rate of inflation recorded since 2008.

The proportion of households stating they are either extremely or very worried about the rising cost of food and drink has risen to 70%. This has increased from just over two-thirds stating the same in January this year.

The Kantar figures also show the discounters have again grown the fastest out of the major UK supermarkets. Aldi grew at 24.6% in the four weeks to 11 June to reach a new record market share of 10.2%. Lidl grew almost as fast at 23.2%, giving it 7.7% of the market.

Morrisons value range, Morrisons Savers, is the fastest growing in the UK, with its sales almost double versus last year. Morrisons grew modestly by 0.8% during the period. This is the fourth consecutive period of growth for the supermarket, and comes after a time of decline.

Source: Kantar

Consumers are taking it upon themselves to ease the effects of inflation with more than 60% of customers now actively looking for the lowest price when shopping.

The survey of 3,000 adults from IPA TouchPoints across the UK shows 60.9% of shoppers now look for the lowest price and best deals when shopping (up 11% on 2020) and that 41.6% search for money-off vouchers (up by 31% since 2020) to lower the cost of their shop.

Financial difficulties have also made consumers significantly less loyal to their preferred brand, the data shows, with half of consumers (52.9%) saying they will gladly switch brands to make use of a coupon (up by 13%).

Meanwhile, 42.7% use a range of supermarkets and shops for their weekly groceries in order to get the best prices, up 14% from 37.5% in 2020.

Supermarkets continue to attract the greatest weekly reach of all shopping outlets at 63.6% (although this itself is down 7% since 2020). But the number of shoppers on the high street has fallen by 17% (from 40.5% to 33.6%) since 2020; shopping centre reach has fallen 8% (from 21.0% to 19.3%) and out-of-town retail parks have fallen 3% (from 14.7% to 14.2%). Meanwhile, online shopping has increased slightly since 2020, up by 3% from 49.4% to 50.7%.

TouchPoints also reveals consumers are spending an hour longer at home than they did in pre-lockdown 2020 with the mean hours spent inside now at 18 hours and 43 minutes a day, up from the 17 hours and 37 minutes a day consumers were at home before.

Source: IPA TouchPoints

Consumer confidence is edging up despite stubborn inflation and the Bank of England raising interest rates to a 15-year high of 5% last week.

The inflation rate was 8.7% in May as it was in April stopping the downward trend from its peak of 11.1% last year, with the Office for National Statistics suggesting rising prices for air travel, recreational and cultural goods and services are keeping it high.

But despite this consumers are becoming slightly more positive in their outlook, according to the latest Consumer Confidence Barometer from GfK.

The overall index score improved by three points in June, taking it up to -24, which although still in negative territory is a marked improvement on the -41 recorded in June 2022.

The biggest improvement was seen in peoples view of their personal financial situation over the coming year, which increased by seven points to -1. This marks the third consecutive month of improvement and means it is just shy of returning to a positive position, something not seen since December 2021. It is also a 27-point increase compared to June last year.

Consumers feelings about their own finances over the past 2 months has also improved, up five points to -15.

Looking at the wider economy, there has been a five-point increase in peoples outlook for it next year, taking it to -25. Again this is a significant uptick compared to 2022 when the figure stood at -57. Peoples view of the economy over the past 12 months remains static at -54.

Source: GfK

European social media use fell by four minutes in Q1 2023 compared to the same period last year.

The average time spent on social media platforms now stands at two hours and 1 minute per day for European users with new research from GWI showing all regions (except North America) had a drop as usage starts to level off after a pandemic high.

In the UK, use of social media dropped to one hour and 46 minutes from the one hour and 52 minutes recorded in 2018.

Theres good news for individual apps, however, as TikTok continues to grow in popularity with it now being 9% of social media users favourite app (a jump of 100% to the same time in 2021. WhatsApp and Instagram continue to be the worlds favourite platforms with both sitting on 21% and Facebook sits in third as 20% of users favourite platform (albeit a sharp drop of 14% from the same time in 2021).

The report of 970,000 consumers also finds that keeping in touch with friends and family is the most popular reason for using social media (54%), with many consumers also using social platforms to catch up on news headlines (27%). In fact the number of Western TikTok users using the platform to keep up-to-date with the news has jumped by 41% in two years.

Consumers are also leaning on social media platforms to discover whats trending/being talked about (22%), with the number of consumers turning to TikTok for information about products and brands rising by 52%.

Source: GWI

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Grocery inflation, Pride, social use: 5 interesting stats to start your ... - Marketing Week