public static String toStream(String channel){
  if (channel == null) {
    return null;
  }
  if (channel.startsWith("#")) {
    return channel.substring(1);
  }
  return channel;
}

public static String toStream ( String channel ) { if ( channel == null ) { return null ; } if ( channel . startsWith ( "#" ) ) { return channel . substring ( 1 ) ; } return channel ; }
removes a leading # from the channel , if present .
