private String getSimpleText(Element element) {
      if (element == null) return null;
      StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
      NodeList nodes = element.getChildNodes();
      Node node;
      for(int i=0; i < nodes.getLength(); i++) {
         node = nodes.item(i);
         if (node.getNodeType() == Node.TEXT_NODE)
            sb.append(node.getNodeValue());
      }
      return sb.toString().trim();
   }