def get_timezone(as_timedelta=False):
    """ utility to get the machine's timezone """
    try:
        offset_hour = -(time.altzone if time.daylight else time.timezone)
    except Exception as e:
        offset_hour = -(datetime.datetime.now() -
                        datetime.datetime.utcnow()).seconds

    offset_hour = offset_hour // 3600
    offset_hour = offset_hour if offset_hour < 10 else offset_hour // 10

    if as_timedelta:
        return datetime.timedelta(hours=offset_hour)

    return 'Etc/GMT%+d' % offset_hour