code: public static GlobalApp getGlobalApp(ServletRequest request) {
          assert request instanceof HttpServletRequest;
          GlobalApp ga = PageFlowUtils.getGlobalApp((HttpServletRequest)request);
          if(ga == null) {
              String message = "There is no current GlobalApp!";
              LOGGER.error(message);
              throw new RuntimeException(message);
          }
          return ga;
      }
docs: Internal method!
  
  This method is used by the expression engine to get the current global app.  If no global app
  is found, an exception will be thrown.
  @param request the request
  @return the global app