def fmt_date(date)
      return nil if date.blank?
      return nil unless (date.is_a?(String) || date.is_a?(Date) || date.is_a?(Time))
      unless date.is_a?(String)
        date = date.to_s(:date4)
      end
      m,d,y = date.split('/')
      "#{m.to_i}/#{d.to_i}/#{y.to_i}"
    end
def fmt_date(date)
      return nil if date.blank?
      return nil unless (date.is_a?(String) || date.is_a?(Date) || date.is_a?(Time))
      unless date.is_a?(String)
        date = date.to_s(:date4)
      end
      m,d,y = date.split('/')
      "#{m.to_i}/#{d.to_i}/#{y.to_i}"
    end
Formats a date in M/D/YYYY format.

 The +date+ can be either a string already in the correct format, or a Date/Time object.
 If +date+ is blank or nil, then nil will be returned.