title: ISNULL() in LINQ to XML
body: <p>SELECT * FROM CUSTOMERS WHERE RTRIM(ISNULL([SHORTNAME],'')) LIKE '%john%'</p>
  
  <p>I want to write this using Linq,</p>
  
  <pre><code>var persons = from person in xmlDoc.Descendants("Table")
  where 
  person.Element("SHORTNAME").Value.Contains("123")
  select new
  {
    shortName = person.Element("SHORTNAME").Value,
    longName = person.Element("LONGNAME").Value,
    address = person.Element("ADDRESS").Value,
    Phone = person.Element("PHONE") != null ? person.Element("PHONE").Value : "",
    zip = person.Element("ZIPCODE") != null ? person.Element("ZIPCODE").Value : "",
  };
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This works fine when [SHORTNAME] is not null, if [SHORTNAME] is a null value this breakes the code and pops up a "Null Reference Exception"</p>
  
  <p>Please help me...</p>