We’re talking about the future on this week’s podcast. We met with two local futurists for a discussion about what Seattle will look like in the world of tomorrow as well as what futurists are and what they do. It’s a little more cerebral than our usual topics but it should be an interesting listen.

Our topic for today, though, is not the future but current events. Before we get into the news there is one, kind of odd story I wanted to share with everyone. Those reading this may or may not be aware of UVB-76, the call sign of a mysterious shortwave radio station that since 1982 has been broadcasting a short, repeating buzzing tone from somewhere inside the former Soviet Union. The signal’s purpose has been a topic of speculation among cranks and conspiracy theorists for decades. Recently, though, it seems that the signal has suddenly stopped. Now without knowing precisely what the danger is, I would say it’s time for our listeners to crack each other’s heads open and feast on the goo inside.

Your Monday news is under the fold.

Anime

• Anime streaming site Crunchyroll has announced that they will begin simulcasting Studio Pierrot and TV Tokyo’s television anime Bleach. The simulcast starts tomorrow with episode 266 and will continue up to the latest episode, 274. Information regarding the broadcast schedule for older episopdes will be coming “at a later date”.

Boardgames

• German developers TheCodingMonkeys have released a version of Carcassonne for the iPhone! The app costs $4.99 and supports local multiplayer over bluetooth and wi-fi and “Internet Multiplayer with Push Notifications” as well as a “Unique Solitaire mode”. The app is available now through the iTunes store. The current version is compatible with the Apple iPad and free iPad specific update will be released later in 2010.

Comics

• Can’t get enough Torchwood? Well you’re in luck. Comic Mix is reporting that Titan Publishing, the company behind the Torchwood magazine, is launching a new comic based on the Dr. Who spinoff series. The first issue will feature a one-shot story co-written by John “Captain Jack Harkness” Barrowman and the beginning of a five-part story written by Torchwood script editor Gary Russel. The comic will supposedly be in stores this August.

MMO

• Lord of the Rings Online is the latest MMORPG to switch from subscriptions to free-to-play. Following a similar model as Dungeons and Dragons Online, the basic game of LoTRO will be free with additional content available through the LoTR store. The free content will include about 800 quests up to a character level of 50 according to an interview with Turbine staff on Massively. Content available for purchase will include both cosmetic and “convenience items” as well as additional content packs, optional quests, mounts and additional character slots.

Toys

• Scott Pilgrim artist Bryan Lee O’Malley gave the world a peak at a new Scott Pilgrim plush dolls via Twitter on Friday. The dolls, which are being manufactured by Mezco Toys, will be in stores this July just ahead of the release of the Scott Pilgrim movie in August.

Video Games

• Pop Cap spokesperson Cathy Orr has confirmed that Plants vs Zombies will be coming to XBox Live Arcade in a statement to European gaming site The Sixth Axis. No release date was mentioned but as soon as it comes out we’ll be getting it!