protected static void assertNotNull(final Object obj,final String message,final Object... args){
  if (obj == null) {
    throw new NullPointerException(String.format(message,args));
  }
}

protected static void assertNotNull ( final Object obj , final String message , final Object ... args ) { if ( obj == null ) { throw new NullPointerException ( String . format ( message , args ) ) ; } }
asserts the object reference is not null !
