Where are John and Todd?

Hu Profiled: The Los Angeles Times profiles Seattle’s Ben Huh of I Can Has Cheezburger, whose humor Web site of cat photos with quirky captions has become a runaway success on the Internet. The story notes that Huh’s network of eight Web sites — including a new celebrity photo site and one that pokes fun at bungled English phrases — attract 5 million users and 100 million page views a month.

PopCap’s latest: After more than three years of development, Seattle’s PopCap Games plans to unveil the latest version of its wildly popular Bejeweled franchise at a big party October 27 at the Experience Music Project. The puzzle game, titled Bejeweled Twist, will sell for $19.95. In the past eight years, PopCap has sold more than 25 million versions of Bejeweled making it the “most popular casual video game of the 21st century,” according to the company.

Ameritocracy adds new advisors: Esther Dyson and David Johnson have joined the advisory board of Ameritocracy, the Seattle Internet startup that helps people decide on the accuracy of statements made by politicians, members of the media and other public figures. Dyson is a noted startup investor and technology speaker, while Johnson was Chair of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. (Note: Johnson’s status at the Electronic Frontier Foundation has been corrected.)

IPOs in the tank: With all eyes on the turmoil in the national economy, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that companies are avoiding initial public offerings. Now comes word that the market for venture-backed IPOs is at a 30 year low, with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Tracy Lefteroff saying “there is little indication that the market will recover anytime before the second quarter of 2009.”

RealNetworks files suit: RealNetworks is taking on the major Hollywood studios — including Disney, Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment — with a planned suit arguing that its RealDVD software (launched today) complies with the DVD Copy Control Association’s license agreement. The Seattle company notes in a statement:

“We are disappointed that the movie industry is following in the footsteps of the music industry and trying to shut down advances in technology rather than embracing changes that provide consumers with more value and flexibility for their purchases.”