code: public String printShortLocaleDate()
    {
      _date.setTime(_localTimeOfEpoch);
  
      if (_shortDateFormat == null)
        _shortDateFormat = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.SHORT);
  
      return _shortDateFormat.format(_date);
    }
docs: Returns a date in M/dd/yy format (i.e. 11/30/69 in US locale).