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);
		}
	}
public static Date dateStrToDate ( final String dateStr ) { String paddedDateStr = padStartDateStr ( dateStr ) ; try { return ArchiveUtils . parse14DigitDate ( paddedDateStr ) ; } catch ( ParseException e ) { e . printStackTrace ( ) ; return new Date ( ( long ) SSE_YEAR_LOWER_LIMIT * 1000 ) ; } }
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