code: public static String getDateString(Date self) {
          return DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.SHORT).format(self);
      }
docs: <p>Return a string representation of the 'day' portion of this date
  according to the locale-specific {@link java.text.DateFormat#SHORT} default format.
  For an "en_UK" system locale, this would be <code>dd/MM/yy</code>.
  <p>
  <p>Note that a new DateFormat instance is created for every
  invocation of this method (for thread safety).
  
  @param self a Date
  @return a string representation of this date
  @see java.text.DateFormat#getDateInstance(int)
  @see java.text.DateFormat#SHORT
  @since 1.5.7