code: public static int compare(Date startDate, Date endDate, Date targetDate)
     {
        return (compare(startDate, endDate, targetDate.getTime()));
     }
docs: This method compares a target date with a date range. The method will
  return 0 if the date is within the range, less than zero if the date
  is before the range starts, and greater than zero if the date is after
  the range ends.
  
  @param startDate range start date
  @param endDate range end date
  @param targetDate target date
  @return comparison result