See if a certain time has already passed in a given time zone

IsPastTest.java

public class IsPastTest {

    public static final String SPAIN = "Europe/Madrid";
    public static final String PORTUGAL = "Europe/Lisbon";

    public boolean isPast(int year, int month, int day, int hour, int minute) {
        return isPast(year, month, day, hour, minute, null);
    }

    public boolean isPast(int year, int month, int day, int hour, int minute, String timeZone) {
        TimeZone tz = timeZone == null ? TimeZone.getDefault() : TimeZone.getTimeZone(timeZone);
	Calendar query = new GregorianCalendar(tz);
	query.set(year, month, day, hour, minute);

	Calendar now = new GregorianCalendar();
        return now.after(query);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Suppose we are in Madrid and local time is 17:30 of Nov 1st, 2012
        boolean b1 = isPast(2012, 10, 1, 17, 0, PORTUGAL); // False, it's 16:30 in Portugal
        boolean b2 = isPast(2012, 10, 1, 16, 0, PORTUGAL); // True

 	// Suppose we are in New York and local time is 12:30 of Nov 1st, 2012
        boolean b3 = isPast(2012, 10, 1, 18, 0, SPAIN); // False, it's 17:30 in Spain
        boolean b4 = isPast(2012, 10, 1, 17, 0, SPAIN); // True	
    }
}