code: private static long byteArrayToLong(byte[] ba, int offset) {
  		long l = 0;
  
  		for (int i = 0; i < SIZE_OF_LONG; ++i) {
  			l |= (ba[offset + SIZE_OF_LONG - 1 - i] & 0xffL) << (i << 3);
  		}
  
  		return l;
  	}
docs: Converts the given byte array to a long.
  
  @param ba the byte array to be converted
  @param offset the offset indicating at which byte inside the array the conversion shall begin
  @return the long variable