JSTL Date Compare Question

Question

I am using JSTL to parse an xml feed (news articles) and need to restrict the articles I get back in the xml to todays date. On another page I am working on I have to restrict the articles to todays date - 7 days (one week). I understand how to parse and format dates with jstl, but am stuck on doing date compares like this. The date I have to restrict on in the xml feed is called <pubDate>. If anyone could help me out with using JSTL to parse and handle these date ranges that would be great. Here is a portion of the xml I am dealing with:
- <!-- Item 1 of todays_free_feature
-->
- <item>
<title>Building an Online Library</title>
<link>http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB113111987803688478-VNpw62xi_JA4avE8cxOZf0pf_nM_20061109,00.html?mod=rss_free</link>
<description>Liz Ridolfo is one of several foot soldiers engaged in an ambitious effort to digitize the world's libraries, one volume at a time.</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Nov 2005 20:22:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>
- <!-- Item 2 of todays_free_feature
-->
- <item>
<title>Guest-Worker Proposals Prove Divisive</title>
<link>http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB113149831207391770-V6OGF4bCCsOhJlj0ZAPd1jKIMUg_20061109,00.html?mod=rss_free</link>
<description>Bush is proposing a guest worker program that business loves and the Senate seems eager to pass, but the issue splits Republicans eager to help business from those concerned about border security, job losses and the nation's identity.</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Nov 2005 23:02:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>
- <!-- Item 3 of todays_free_feature
-->
- <item>
<title>Changing Times at the Fed</title>
<link>http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB113136589127989951-biMkDwuEVMUvrmqav2YE8OCApTk_20061109,00.html?mod=rss_free</link>
<description>Alan Greenspan will soon step down as Federal Reserve chairman and hand the reins to Ben Bernanke. But that's not the only change likely to be in store at the U.S. central bank. William Polley and Tim Duy to explore what the future might hold for the seat of U.S. monetary policy.</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Nov 2005 20:46:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>
- <!-- Item 4 of todays_free_feature
-->
- <item>
<title>Protecting Ideas Is Crucial for U.S. Business</title>
<link>http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB113149228287891613-mKwE4jbbsNWEvRsGvadhQNc6tGI_20061109,00.html?mod=rss_free</link>
<description>Intellectual property is one of the thorniest problems facing modern capitalism. The challenge is to protect creators' right to profit while still ensuring that the benefits of their creations are widely spread.</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Nov 2005 22:50:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>

Answer 1

I had problems following your advice, hence I used a different formatter
<fmt:formatDate var="nextRunStr" value="${reminder.nextRunDateTime}" pattern="yyyyMMddHHmmss"/>
                              <fmt:formatDate var="nowStr" value="${now}" pattern="yyyyMMddHHmmss"/>
and then
${nextRunStr ge nowStr}"
seems to work OK.