code: public static Date dateStrToDate(final String dateStr) {
  		
  		String paddedDateStr = padStartDateStr(dateStr);
  		try {
  			return ArchiveUtils.parse14DigitDate(paddedDateStr);
  		} catch (ParseException e) {
  			e.printStackTrace();
  			// TODO: This is certainly not the right thing, but padStartDateStr
  			// should ensure we *never* get here..
  			return new Date((long)SSE_YEAR_LOWER_LIMIT * 1000);
  		}
  	}
docs: cleanup the dateStr argument assuming earliest values, and return a
  GMT calendar set to the time described by the dateStr.
  
  @param dateStr from which to create Calendar
  @return Calendar