Scope of Variables in Java
===

In a Java Class, I have three List<String> as fields in a class.
So I believe I made them available to the whole class? and all sub classes?

However, this does not work:
(For the example, I will only show one list here, not all three)

    class Items extends ListActivity {

	List<String> items = null;  // field

    Override
	public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
		super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
                     
                // stuff

		items = new ArrayList<String>();
		
       	new task().execute();
		
		Log.d("Size", String.valueOf(items.size()));
		
	
		
     }

     class task extends AsyncTask<String, String, Void> {

        // in this subclass, I parse items from JSON and add to List "items".

         items = add(item);

     }



Once I exit the task, I seem to lose the items in the List<String>.  It Logs "size 0";  if I do it inside the task, it shows the proper amount of items.  Am I missing a very basic point about the scope of List<String> variables here?
