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A simple shape in the doorway is visible here, the unmistakable outline of someone toiling at their custodial duties . Photo by Brad Smith See more of the best photos of 2011

A simple shape in the doorway is visible here, the unmistakable outline of someone toiling at their custodial duties . Photo by Brad Smith See more of the best photos of 2011

Why did the meme factory hire the serious political reporter? They saw eye-to-eye on one important thing: the social network optimization of the news.

"If ever there is a moment to join or start up your own company, this is it," says Smith. "To be the little nimble startups that can run rings around the major corporations and move faster than them and be more innovative than them, the moment is now." Moshi Monsters is already a $100 million multi-platform children's game, toy and book franchise, and one of the Toys"R"Us hot toys of 2011 , but I was skeptical about the company's "transmedia" ambitions.

Lisa Price, the founder of Carol's Daughter, spoke about harnessing star-power of celebrities such as Jay-Z and Will Smith to build awareness of her brand. Lisa Price named her company Carol's Daughter after making a list of things she was and the things she wanted to become.

"Food is always more or less in demand," wrote Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations. [More]

Harry Smith takes a look back at the past 30 years of AIDS - from its earliest reports as a "gay cancer," to the Ryan White controversy, to the introduction of the term, "safe sex" into everyday life - and how the search for a cure continues.

Photograph by Dean Kaufman Photograph by Dean Kaufman The landscape architect shares the tools and inspirations that help him breathe life into the artificial. Ken Smith is not one to blend in. The New York -- based designer moves beyond earth and stone in his work, often employing surprising elements such as bright synthetic flowers and plastic rocks.