def start_element(name)
      new_element = {}
      name = name.to_s # force string representation of symbols

      if @remove_namespaces
        if colon_index = name.index(":")
          name.slice!(0..colon_index)
        end
      end

      if @root[name].nil?
        @root[name] = new_element
      else
        @root[name] = [@root[name]] unless @root[name].is_a?(Array)
        @root[name] << new_element
      end

      @parents << @root
      @root = new_element
    end
def start_element(name)
      new_element = {}
      name = name.to_s # force string representation of symbols

      if @remove_namespaces
        if colon_index = name.index(":")
          name.slice!(0..colon_index)
        end
      end

      if @root[name].nil?
        @root[name] = new_element
      else
        @root[name] = [@root[name]] unless @root[name].is_a?(Array)
        @root[name] << new_element
      end

      @parents << @root
      @root = new_element
    end
sax callbacks