code: public static java.util.Date parseDate(String strDate, String pattern) {
  		try {
  			SimpleDateFormat parser = new SimpleDateFormat(pattern, Locale.US);
  			return parser.parse(strDate);
  		} catch (ParseException e) {
  			throw new JKException(e);
  		}
  	}
docs: Parses the date.
  
  @param strDate the str date
  @param pattern the pattern
  @return the java.util. date