Fixed timezone change in index.php
Now it does not ever change the local timezone, and it adds the option to get the 'local' time()
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 62fc2ab..3b00dd3 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -162,8 +162,6 @@
 // END OF USER CONFIGURABLE SETTINGS.  DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-date_default_timezone_set('UTC');
-
 /*
  * ---------------------------------------------------------------
  *  Resolve the system path for increased reliability
diff --git a/system/helpers/date_helper.php b/system/helpers/date_helper.php
index 3b0c328..d5acec2 100644
--- a/system/helpers/date_helper.php
+++ b/system/helpers/date_helper.php
@@ -57,10 +57,16 @@
 			$timezone	= $CI->config->item('timezone');
 		}
 
-		$timezone	= new DateTimeZone($timezone);
-		$now		= new DateTime('now', $timezone);
-		$offset		= $timezone->getOffset($now);
-		$time		= time() + $offset;
+		$time			= time();
+		if(strtolower($timezone) != 'local')
+		{
+			$local		= new DateTime(NULL, new DateTimeZone(date_default_timezone_get()));
+			$now		= new DateTime(NULL, new DateTimeZone($timezone));
+			$lcl_offset	= $local->getOffset();
+			$tz_offset	= $now->getOffset();
+			$offset		= $tz_offset - $lcl_offset;
+			$time		= $time + $offset;
+		}
 
 		return $time;
 	}
diff --git a/user_guide_src/source/helpers/date_helper.rst b/user_guide_src/source/helpers/date_helper.rst
index b6c6ed4..33b39bd 100644
--- a/user_guide_src/source/helpers/date_helper.rst
+++ b/user_guide_src/source/helpers/date_helper.rst
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
 =====
 
 Returns the current time as a Unix timestamp, based on the "timezone" parameter.
-All PHP available timezones are supported.
+All PHP available timezones are supported. You can also use 'local' timezone, and
+it will return time().
 
 .. php:method:: now($timezone = NULL)
 
diff --git a/user_guide_src/source/installation/upgrade_300.rst b/user_guide_src/source/installation/upgrade_300.rst
index e86ef67..c2c3899 100644
--- a/user_guide_src/source/installation/upgrade_300.rst
+++ b/user_guide_src/source/installation/upgrade_300.rst
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@
 
 Function now() has been modified. You can see the changes in :doc:`Date Helper <../helpers/date_helper>`
 You must replace $config['time_reference'] with $config['timezone'] in your config.php file. You can select all
-PHP supported timezones, listed here: `PHP's supported timezones <http://www.php.net/timezones>`_.
+PHP supported timezones, listed here: `Supported timezones <http://www.php.net/timezones>`_. You can also
+use 'local' if you want to get time().
 
 Step 6: Move your errors folder
 ===============================