code: @Nullable
    public static <ELEMENTTYPE> ELEMENTTYPE getFirst (@Nullable final ELEMENTTYPE [] aArray,
                                                      @Nullable final ELEMENTTYPE aDefaultValue)
    {
      return isEmpty (aArray) ? aDefaultValue : aArray[0];
    }
docs: Get the first element of the array or the passed default if the passed
  array is empty.
  
  @param <ELEMENTTYPE>
  Array element type
  @param aArray
  The array who's first element is to be retrieved. May be
  <code>null</code> or empty.
  @param aDefaultValue
  The default value to be returned if the array is empty
  @return the first element if the passed array is not empty, the default
  value if the passed array is empty.