if time_shift:
#        pattern = re.compile(r'([+-]?)([0-9]{2})([0-9]{2})')
        pattern = re.compile(r'([+-]?)([0-9]{,2})([0-9]{,2})*') 
        parsed = re.match(pattern,time_shift)
        # So if we could parse it, we split it up.
        if parsed:
            # added this check for null string
            if parsed.groups()[2] == '':
                secdigit = 0
            else:
                secdigit = int(parsed.groups()[2])
#            mins = ( 60* int(parsed.groups()[1]) ) + int(parsed.groups()[2])
            mins = ( 60* int(parsed.groups()[1]) ) + secdigit
            secs = 60 * mins
            # here's the weird part: python does timezones in terms of
            # a difference, so we have to reverse the signs. In other
            # words, a '-' means that it's a positive difference.
            if parsed.groups()[0] in ('+', ''):
                secs *= -1
            myzone = secs
        # Otherwise we just go by the default machine time
        else:
            # If time.daylight returns 0 (false) it will choose the
            # first element; if it returns 1 (true) it will return the
            # second element.
            myzone = (time.timezone, time.altzone)[time.daylight]
    else:
        myzone = (time.timezone, time.altzone)[time.daylight]