Forgot to configure acceptance tests to use test db
first pass at removing handing date around to places: cookies!
Revert "first pass at removing handing date around to places: cookies!"

This reverts commit fafb765b73c05261c8f8a790968b3a33cc8f49fe.
Revert "Revert "first pass at removing handing date around to places: cookies!""

This reverts commit e2c0a1d67f1b7fed74a9e877b16bd01a508c9387.
removed cookie stuff, if we're not reading it in the front end then it's just global state - turns out that's not so good with the designing