diff --git a/gxg-framework.gemspec b/gxg-framework.gemspec
index cc0e944..5a58629 100644
--- a/gxg-framework.gemspec
+++ b/gxg-framework.gemspec
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name        = 'gxg-framework'
-  s.version     = '0.0.66'
+  s.version     = '0.0.67'
   s.licenses    = ['HIPPOCRATIC 2.1', 'https://firstdonoharm.dev/version/2/1/license.html']
   s.summary     = "GxG Framework"
   s.description = "GxG Framework"
diff --git a/lib/gxg/gxg_augmented.rb b/lib/gxg/gxg_augmented.rb
index 558524c..e581d24 100644
--- a/lib/gxg/gxg_augmented.rb
+++ b/lib/gxg/gxg_augmented.rb
@@ -3514,11 +3514,14 @@ class Hash
           end
           last_container = container
         end
-        if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
-          safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
-        else
-          safe_key = selector.to_s
-        end
+        safe_key = selector.to_s
+        # xxx
+        # if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
+        #   safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
+        # else
+        #   safe_key = selector.to_s
+        # end
+        # xxx
         safe_key = safe_key.gsub("/","%2f")
         path_stack.unshift(safe_key)
         # compare the_value
@@ -3558,9 +3561,7 @@ class Hash
           else
             element = path_element
             element.gsub!("%2f","/")
-            if element[0] == ":"
-              element = element[(1..-1)].to_sym
-            end
+            element = element.to_sym
           end
         end
         if element
@@ -3592,9 +3593,7 @@ class Hash
           else
             selector = raw_selector
             selector.gsub!("%2f","/")
-            if selector[0] == ":"
-              selector = selector[(1..-1)].to_sym
-            end
+            selector = selector.to_sym
           end
         end
         if selector
@@ -3928,11 +3927,14 @@ class Array
           end
           last_container = container
         end
-        if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
-          safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
-        else
-          safe_key = selector.to_s
-        end
+        safe_key = selector.to_s
+        # xxx
+        # if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
+        #   safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
+        # else
+        #   safe_key = selector.to_s
+        # end
+        # xxx
         safe_key.gsub!("/","%2f")
         path_stack.unshift(safe_key)
         # compare the_value
@@ -3976,9 +3978,7 @@ class Array
           else
             element = path_element
             element.gsub!("%2f","/")
-            if element[0] == ":"
-              element = element[(1..-1)].to_sym
-            end
+            element = element.to_sym
           end
         end
         if element
@@ -4010,9 +4010,7 @@ class Array
           else
             selector = raw_selector
             selector.gsub!("%2f","/")
-            if selector[0] == ":"
-              selector = selector[(1..-1)].to_sym
-            end
+            selector = selector.to_sym
           end
         end
         if selector
diff --git a/lib/gxg/gxg_database_persistedarray.rb b/lib/gxg/gxg_database_persistedarray.rb
index e621794..10d78f4 100644
--- a/lib/gxg/gxg_database_persistedarray.rb
+++ b/lib/gxg/gxg_database_persistedarray.rb
@@ -1019,11 +1019,14 @@ module GxG
               end
               last_container = container
             end
-            if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
-              safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
-            else
-              safe_key = selector.to_s
-            end
+            safe_key = selector.to_s
+            # xxx
+            # if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
+            #   safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
+            # else
+            #   safe_key = selector.to_s
+            # end
+            # xxx
             safe_key.gsub!("/","%2f")
             path_stack.unshift(safe_key)
             # compare the_value
@@ -1067,9 +1070,7 @@ module GxG
               else
                 element = path_element
                 element.gsub!("%2f","/")
-                if element[0] == ":"
-                  element = element[(1..-1)].to_sym
-                end
+                element = element.to_sym
               end
             end
             if element
@@ -1101,9 +1102,7 @@ module GxG
               else
                 selector = raw_selector
                 selector.gsub!("%2f","/")
-                if selector[0] == ":"
-                  selector = selector[(1..-1)].to_sym
-                end
+                selector = selector.to_sym
               end
             end
             if selector
@@ -2945,11 +2944,14 @@ module GxG
               end
               last_container = container
             end
-            if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
-              safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
-            else
-              safe_key = selector.to_s
-            end
+            safe_key = selector.to_s
+            # xxx
+            # if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
+            #   safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
+            # else
+            #   safe_key = selector.to_s
+            # end
+            # xxx
             safe_key.gsub!("/","%2f")
             path_stack.unshift(safe_key)
             # compare the_value
@@ -2993,9 +2995,7 @@ module GxG
               else
                 element = path_element
                 element.gsub!("%2f","/")
-                if element[0] == ":"
-                  element = element[(1..-1)].to_sym
-                end
+                element = element.to_sym
               end
             end
             if element
@@ -3027,9 +3027,7 @@ module GxG
               else
                 selector = raw_selector
                 selector.gsub!("%2f","/")
-                if selector[0] == ":"
-                  selector = selector[(1..-1)].to_sym
-                end
+                selector = selector.to_sym
               end
             end
             if selector
diff --git a/lib/gxg/gxg_database_persistedhash.rb b/lib/gxg/gxg_database_persistedhash.rb
index 88df4d0..f0e1702 100644
--- a/lib/gxg/gxg_database_persistedhash.rb
+++ b/lib/gxg/gxg_database_persistedhash.rb
@@ -870,11 +870,14 @@ module GxG
               end
               last_container = container
             end
-            if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
-              safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
-            else
-              safe_key = selector.to_s
-            end
+            safe_key = selector.to_s
+            # xxx
+            # if selector.is_a?(Symbol)
+            #   safe_key = (":" + selector.to_s)
+            # else
+            #   safe_key = selector.to_s
+            # end
+            # xxx
             safe_key.gsub!("/","%2f")
             path_stack.unshift(safe_key)
             # compare the_value
@@ -914,9 +917,7 @@ module GxG
               else
                 element = path_element
                 element.gsub!("%2f","/")
-                if element[0] == ":"
-                  element = element[(1..-1)].to_sym
-                end
+                element = element.to_sym
               end
             end
             if element
@@ -948,9 +949,7 @@ module GxG
               else
                 selector = raw_selector
                 selector.gsub!("%2f","/")
-                if selector[0] == ":"
-                  selector = selector[(1..-1)].to_sym
-                end
+                selector = selector.to_sym
               end
             end
             if selector
@@ -2802,9 +2801,7 @@ module GxG
               else
                 element = path_element
                 element.gsub!("%2f","/")
-                if element[0] == ":"
-                  element = element[(1..-1)].to_sym
-                end
+                element = element.to_sym
               end
             end
             if element
@@ -2836,9 +2833,7 @@ module GxG
               else
                 selector = raw_selector
                 selector.gsub!("%2f","/")
-                if selector[0] == ":"
-                  selector = selector[(1..-1)].to_sym
-                end
+                selector = selector.to_sym
               end
             end
             if selector