Note from Anastasia: My power has been out all morning -- I'm posting a quick Essentials roundup from a nearby coffee shop in stormy San Francisco. Have a great weekend!

Jonas Bros. sign deal with LiveNation (that will set them up for life -- it's a two year deal, which seems like the average lifespan for a popular boy band. Plus Disney the top viewed cable channel and Vanessa Hudgens tells girls, "'Don't post your private business for the world to see!") (Reuters) (Mediabistro) (Idolator)

- Grammys go ugc (offers musicians an opportunity to have their Grammy moment on YouTube. Plus SonyBMG goes DRM-free - thanks Bob! And The Center for Social Media hopes this video titled "Remix Culture" will provoke discussion) (MediaWeek) (TechCrunch) (Center for Social Media via Shaping Youth)

- Exergaming (the new way to get young people to exercise) (Entrepreneur)

- Steve & Barry's gets into action sports (with a new line from surfer Laird Hamilton) (PROMO)

- Virtual world match up (Izzy offers fun characterizations of the big guys' virtual worlds for kids personaes and a really detailed outline of how to make your site safe for kids)

- Commercialism hurting kids (according to a UK study - thanks Meredith!) (The Telegraph UK)

Posted by anastasia