gistfile1.rb

# Need a method that takes a date and based on a given time zone gives me the correct offset 
# with daylight savings time into consideration
Time.zone = "Pacific US and Canada"

Time.some_method_name("2013-03-09") #=> "PST -0800" 
Time.some_method_name("2013-03-10") #=> "PDT -0700"

#############

ActiveSupport::TimeZone.all.sort_by(&:name).each_with_index do |timezone, index|
  # Need this to be "-0700 Pcific Time (US & Canada) if a specified date is after DST
  "#{timezone.formatted_offset(false)} #{timezone.name}" # => "-0800 Pacific Time (US & Canada)"
end