private List loadAList(String[] someStrs) {
        List newList = new ArrayList();
        try {
            for (int i = 0; i < someStrs.length; ++i) {
                newList.add(new DateTime(someStrs[i], DateTimeZone.UTC));
            } // end of the for
        } catch (IllegalArgumentException pe) {
            pe.printStackTrace();
        }
        return newList;
    }