code: public static float asFloat(Object value, float nullValue) {
  		value=convert(Float.class,value);
  		if (value!=null) {
  			return ((Float)value).floatValue();
  		}
  		else {
  			return nullValue;
  		}
  	}
docs: Return the value converted to a float
  or the specified alternate value if the original value is null. Note,
  this method still throws {@link IllegalArgumentException} if the value
  is not null and could not be converted.
  
  @param	value
  The value to be converted
  @param	nullValue
  The value to be returned if {@link value} is null. Note, this
  value will not be returned if the conversion fails otherwise.
  @throws	IllegalArgumentException
  If the value cannot be converted