Too many times I have to use a List of an Object instead of the object, If I use 

```
MyObj a = null;
a.setParameter = 0;

```

It works.
But If I use 

```
List<MyObj> a = null;
MyObj b = getObjectFromSomewhere();
a.add(b);

```

It fails with error : java.lang.NullPointerException?

And How I can see If my new `List<MyObj> a` is "null" or without any element inside?