Online Scrabble players rejoice!

Hasbro has dropped a lawsuit it had filed against the Indian brothers who had created a similar game, called "Scrabulous," which enjoyed huge success on Facebook until it was removed this summer.

The brothers, Jayant and Rajat Agarwalla, from Calcutta, India, created the game because they couldn't find an online version of Scrabble that they liked. When Hasbro first filed suit this summer, Scrabulous was removed from Facebook and replaced with a Hasbro-sanctioned version of online Scrabble.

From Lemondrop: Trouble in Toyland

With shopping days winding down, it's becoming more and more likely that anyone left on your list is getting a gift card this year. WalletPop has already covered everything you need to know about gift cards this year, including common scams and how to find the best gift cards out there. Now we are bringing you a collection of gift cards in our favorite categories, ranging from those practical enough to appease tightwads to offerings that can entertain anyone.

Practical: For people on your list who think a gift should fill a need in their life; check out these practical gift cards. The first two also make an excellent gift for someone you know who is having trouble making ends meet.

• Fuel only gift card -- Unless the person you're buying for lives near good public transportation, a gas card is one of the most practical gift cards you can buy.

• Electricity gift card -- A gift card for electricity is an extremely "powerful" gift to give this year. Just make sure you get them from the right company and have a backup, since not all power companies offer gift certificates.

• College course gift card -- The gift of education isn't just for the 18-year-old on your list; many colleges are offering learning in retirement program gift certificates which make an excellent gift for retirees. These courses are relatively cheap so you won't have to raid your 401k to pay for a class.

• Kids program gift certificates -- The youngsters on your list, and their parents, will also appreciate gift certificates for karate, ballet, art and music programs!

The NY Times reports that many small businesses are taking a creative approach to luring in shoppers this year, focusing on special events and social networking instead of traditional advertising. By targeting niche groups and catering to their interests small business are able to pull in otherwise reluctant shoppers. In most cases business are using food and entertainment as their main motivators.

Using events to draw in customers isn't a new phenomena of the economic downturn. Coffee shops have been holding open mic nights and art shows ever since Starbucks made barista a household word. My busiest nights while working my way through college occurred every Tuesday when "musicians" descended upon our local coffee shop.

What is changing is which small businesses are turning to these events for sales. The Times spoke with one lingerie store in Albuquerque, NM that is using Facebook and sex to drum up business. Seventh Goddess recently held a Sex and the City party and has plans to offer "Men's night" later this month complete with a lingerie fashion show. Sales at similar events in the past have been very successful proving that sex sells even when money's tight.

Independent bookstore has been offering movie screenings, book readings and other events which provide the community with excellent opportunities for free entertainment. With the National Small Business Association reporting a 5% drop in the number of businesses who plan to start new advertising campaigns this year more of these events from all types of businesses will likely show up in the coming months.

While some stores will continue to advertise these events in the newspaper one of the best ways to find out about such happenings is to join your city's network on Facebook or to start following people in your area on Twitter. In most cases the entertaining and food will far outweigh any salesmanship going on ensuring a fun and cheap evening out. You might even get a good deal while you're there!

Not long ago, museums around the country had a Museum Day. Now theaters are getting in the act.

October 16, a Thursday, is what's being called Free Night of Theater 2008. That said, some dates, on Friday and Sunday nights, for instance, are also being offered for free.

Theaters in more than 100 cities around the country will offer a night of drama for free. When I got wind of this, I hopped on over to the web site, looked up Cincinnati and promptly groaned. Every play, except "Death of a Salesman," is currently sold out. If I had known about this earlier, I might have scored some tickets to "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat." Argh.

But, hey, maybe the rest of you folks out there will fare better. Check here for show listing sites by city.

It's one reservation per person, and frankly, I'd go look now and sign up because these tickets are going fast. I looked around in various cities, and a lot of places are sold out, but there are still gems open, like August Wilson's "Radio Golf" in Kansas City, Missouri. So get over to the web site, whether you love theater or theatre and try to find a free seat.

And as they say backstage: Break a leg!

Geoff Williams is a freelance journalist and the author of C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America (Rodale).

Last week when I covered how much money college students need for personal items and entertainment, I alluded to the countless options for having fun in college while avoiding credit card debt and frivolous spending.

Money Smart Life has pulled together a broad list of five ways to have fun in college on the cheap. Truth be told, it isn't hard to do; no matter what size your university is, there are bound to be loads of low cost entertainment opportunities. The list, compiled by Money Smart Life, includes many of the old college standbys, but features a few new ways to get your kicks on a budget.

I can totally get behind their suggestion of a Wii-party -- complete with age appropriate drinks; I spent a good portion of my junior year schooling my neighbors in Tiger Woods Golf without spending more than a fiver for the night.

Since the general public has adjusted to commercials being shown before movies we pay good money for, it seems that the music industry has decided now would be a good time to further commercialize summer concerts.

While commercials may actually fit into the pop music genre, it seems that Electronic Arts decided that metal would make a better entry point for pre-concert commercials. During the current tour of animated metal band Dethklok, a commercial was aired before the virtual band took the stage, resulting in boos from the crowd.

Joel Watson, author of "Hijinks Ensue," was there to witness the crowd's reaction to the commercial and has envisioned a music executive's wet dream; a future where song lyrics are edited to include product placement.

Imagine a future where Weezer is pitching Old Navy sweaters and Metallica starts hawking cars for your local Hyundai dealership! I'm sure somewhere someone is plotting to merge Madison Avenue and the music industry even closer as we speak.

Sadly, there's plenty of precedent. Remember how they pimped Janis Joplin's classic "Mercedes Benz" to sell the actual car? That commercial ran in the '80s!

What's my point you ask? Commercials are a part of our lives these days, but they generally provide a discount to the consumer. Advertising on network television foots the bill for favorites such as Lost or Heroes and commercials on radio provide the funds to keep it free. Concerts have had sponsorships via posters and NASCAR stylized tour buses for most of my concert-going life, but if they want to add in commercials before the band takes the stage, the least they could do is offer me a ticket for $25 instead of $30. Better yet provide free parking and no convenience fees and then display that before and after the commercial. I know I would happily watch a commercial if it meant I got something worthwhile for free.

Sex and the City is making a leap to the big screen today. Did you hear that? Sex and the City is officially premiering on the big screen. In case you didn't get the memo, Sex and the City will be in theater. Has there been more hype surrounding a movie since, um, Snakes on Plane?

While Sex and the City: The Movie may not be as forgettable as Snakes on a Plane, the viral and media blitz surrounding the show may have annoyed more than just a few people. Particularly since, well, none of the actresses are what some consider household names. In the four years since most viewers last saw the girls, millions of degrees have been earned by people across the nation, and millions have been married. Many young girls attached to the show have, essentially, moved on with with their lives. Of course, so have the Sex and the City ladies, I'm sure. Unfortunately, the careers of the ladies from Sex and the City hasn't been as eventful.

Sarah Jessica Parker can be considered the most successful of the stars -- but measuring success is up to the viewers. A pulled Gap Ad and a clothing line at a discount store may not be what some define as a success for someone considered a fashion icon. And, making Maxim's unsexiest list isn't exactly an accomplishment.

Can Cynthia Nixon be a consider a big draw when the most buzzed about topic following her most memorable role is her lesbianism? Who knows? What will bring you out?

Okay, let's start with the fact that Hulu is the devil's playground...

A few months before our daughter was born, my wife and I turned off our cable. We like to talk and do fun activities together, so we weren't happy about the fact that so much of our time was spent staring blankly at a television screen. It was hard to say goodbye to the mindless entertainment of the tube, but I had a friend who regularly recorded episodes of My Name Is Earl, The Office, and Gilmore Girls, which meant that we wouldn't have to go completely cold-turkey. Over a couple of months, between my VCR-wielding buddy and my Netflix account, my wife and I slowly rid ourselves of the TV monkey on our backs. It was like a methadone clinic for sitcom addicts.

A couple of years later, we found ourselves talking more, vegging less, and generally pretty happy with our lives. We used Netflix to keep abreast of the coolest shows, watched movies one or two nights a week, and generally reveled in our freedom from the tube. Then Hulu came along.

Every day, WalletPop will be bringing you information about a fantastic freebie. Like what you see? Check back tomorrow for more!

Usually the fantastic freebie is available right now, but today I am giving you a heads up so you can be ready for a truly Fantastic freebie only available tomorrow.

Saturday April 19th is National Record Store day, celebrating independent music stores across the world. Most of the action will be taking place at small indie record stores across the U.S. with numerous freebies available, depending on your location.

You can find a list of participating stores online at the official Record Store Day website, as well as a schedule of appearances and performances by bands big and small. Metallica is kicking off the day with a signing at Rasputin in San Francisco and many other bands will be playing at independent shops across the nation including; The Donnas, Broken Stereo and Business Casual DJs. In addition to free performances and the chance to meet some great bands, many stores will be giving away free goodie bags and running in store specials.

Unfortunately my local store shut down a few months ago and the closest participating store is two hours from me, so I won't be able to partake in the festivities. I hope you have a chance to enjoy a free performance or special at your local store, rock out for me while you're there!

Meals, entertainment, and travel expenses might be tax deductible for small business owners and some employees. Let's start with small business owners. If you spend money on meals, entertainment, or travel during the course of your business, you can take a deduction on your Schedule C or business tax return as long as you meet certain requirements. An employee may be able to deduct their expenses as an "unreimbursed employee expense" if they spent the money, met all the tax requirements, and were not reimbursed by their employer for the expenses.

The requirements for business owners sand employees: First, there must be a bona fide business purpose to the deduction. That means you might be entertaining a potential client, or you're traveling to a business meeting, or you had to stay in a hotel during a business trip. You also must keep records of the expense, including receipts and information about the business purpose of the expense. Travel expenses are fully deductible, but meals and entertainment expenses are only 50% deductible on your tax returns.

Taxpayers can get in trouble when they get too aggressive or claim items that are outside the IRS rules. Taking yourself to lunch one day isn't a deductible meal, unless you are traveling for business. Going on a personal vacation, and taking a business file along to look at doesn't turn it into a business trip. The IRS is on the lookout for taxpayers cheating on these items, because they have long been abused by business people. Make sure you have all your records in order, and that you aren't deducting items which don't qualify.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.