diff --git a/edbob/pyramid/forms/formalchemy/__init__.py b/edbob/pyramid/forms/formalchemy/__init__.py
index 4715a96..77cd0b4 100644
--- a/edbob/pyramid/forms/formalchemy/__init__.py
+++ b/edbob/pyramid/forms/formalchemy/__init__.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def required(value, field=None):
         raise formalchemy.ValidationError(msg)
 
 
-def pretty_datetime(value):
+def pretty_datetime(value, from_='local', to='local'):
     """
     Formats a ``datetime.datetime`` instance and returns a "pretty"
     human-readable string from it, e.g. "42 minutes ago".  ``value`` is
@@ -113,10 +113,10 @@ def pretty_datetime(value):
 
     if not isinstance(value, datetime.datetime):
         return str(value) if value else ''
-    value = edbob.local_time(value)
-    fmt = formalchemy.fields.DateTimeFieldRenderer.format
+    if not value.tzinfo:
+        value = edbob.local_time(value, from_=from_, to=to)
     return literal('<span title="%s">%s</span>' % (
-            value.strftime(fmt),
+            value.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z%z'),
             pretty.date(value)))    
 
 
diff --git a/edbob/time.py b/edbob/time.py
index 1f0d63a..46bfeca 100644
--- a/edbob/time.py
+++ b/edbob/time.py
@@ -29,91 +29,150 @@
 import datetime
 import pytz
 import logging
+import warnings
+
+import edbob
 
 
-__all__ = ['local_time', 'set_timezone', 'utc_time']
+__all__ = ['utc_time', 'local_time']
+
+timezones = {}
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-timezone = None
-
 
 def init(config):
     """
-    Initializes the time framework.  Currently this only sets the local
-    timezone according to config.
-    """
-
-    tz = config.get('edbob.time', 'timezone')
-    if tz:
-        set_timezone(tz)
-        log.info("Timezone set to '%s'" % tz)
-    else:
-        log.warning("No timezone configured; falling back to US/Central")
-        set_timezone('US/Central')
-    
-
-def local_time(timestamp=None):
-    """
-    Tries to return a "localized" version of ``timestamp``, which should be a
-    UTC-based ``datetime.datetime`` instance.
-
-    If a local timezone has been configured, then
-    ``datetime.datetime.utcnow()`` will be called to obtain a value for
-    ``timestamp`` if one is not specified.  Then ``timestamp`` will be modified
-    in such a way that its ``tzinfo`` member contains the local timezone, but
-    the effective UTC value for the timestamp remains accurate.
-
-    If a local timezone has *not* been configured, then
-    ``datetime.datetime.now()`` will be called instead to obtain the value
-    should none be specified.  ``timestamp`` will be returned unchanged.
-    """
-
-    if timezone:
-        if timestamp is None:
-            timestamp = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
-        timestamp = pytz.utc.localize(timestamp)
-        return timestamp.astimezone(timezone)
-
-    if timestamp is None:
-        timestamp = datetime.datetime.now()
-    return timestamp
-
-
-def set_timezone(tz):
-    """
-    Sets edbob's notion of the "local" timezone.  ``tz`` should be an Olson
-    name.
+    Reads configuration to become aware of all timezones which may concern the
+    application.
 
     .. highlight:: ini
 
-    You usually don't need to call this yourself, since it's called by
-    :func:`edbob.init()` whenever the config file includes a timezone (but
-    only as long as ``edbob.time`` is configured to be initialized)::
-
-       [edbob]
-       init = edbob.time
+    The bare minimum configuration required is the ``zone.local`` setting::
 
        [edbob.time]
-       timezone = US/Central
+       zone.local = US/Pacific
+
+    Multiple timezones may be configured like so::
+
+       [edbob.time]
+       zone.local = America/Los_Angeles
+       zone.head_office = America/New_York
+       zone.that_other_place = Asia/Manila
+       zone.some_app = US/Central
+
+    See `Wikipedia
+    <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones>`_ for a
+    (presumably) full list of valid timezone names.
+
+    .. note::
+       A ``zone.utc`` option is automatically created for you; there is no need
+       to define it.
     """
 
-    global timezone
+    for key in config.options('edbob.time'):
+        if key.startswith('zone.'):
+            tz = config.get('edbob.time', key)
+            if tz:
+                key = key[5:]
+                log.info("'%s' timezone set to '%s'" % (key, tz))
+                set_timezone(tz, key)
 
-    if tz is None:
-        timezone = None
-    else:
-        timezone = pytz.timezone(tz)
+    if 'local' not in timezones:
+        tz = config.get('edbob.time', 'timezone')
+        if tz:
+            warnings.warn("Config option 'timezone' in 'edbob.time' section is deprecated.  "
+                          "Please set 'zone.local' instead.",
+                          DeprecationWarning)
+            set_timezone(tz)
+        else:
+            log.warning("'local' timezone not configured; falling back to 'America/Chicago'")
+            set_timezone('America/Chicago')
+
+    set_timezone('UTC', 'utc')
 
 
-def utc_time(timestamp=None):
+def get_timezone(key='local'):
     """
-    Returns a timestamp whose ``tzinfo`` member is set to the UTC timezone.
-
-    If ``timestamp`` is not provided, then ``datetime.datetime.utcnow()`` will
-    be called to obtain the value.
+    Returns the timezone referenced by ``key``.
     """
 
-    if timestamp is None:
-        timestamp = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
-    return pytz.utc.localize(timestamp)
+    if key not in timezones:
+        edbob.config.require('edbob.time', 'zone.%s' % key)
+    return timezones[key]
+
+
+def set_timezone(tz, key='local'):
+    """
+    Stores a timezone in the global dictionary, using ``key``.
+
+    ``tz`` must be a valid "Olson" time zone name, e.g. ``'US/Central'``.  See
+    `Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones>`_
+    for a (presumably) full list of valid names.
+    """
+
+    timezones[key] = pytz.timezone(tz)
+
+
+def local_time(stamp=None, from_='local', naive=False):
+    """
+    Returns a :class:`datetime.datetime` instance, with its ``tzinfo`` member
+    set to the timezone referenced by the key ``'local'``.  If ``naive`` is
+    ``True``, the result is stripped of its ``tzinfo`` member.
+
+    If ``stamp`` is provided, and it is not already "aware," then its value is
+    interpreted as being local to the timezone referenced by ``from_``.
+
+    If ``stamp`` is not provided, the current time is assumed.
+    """
+
+    if not stamp:
+        stamp = utc_time()
+    elif not stamp.tzinfo:
+        stamp = localize(stamp, from_=from_)
+    return localize(stamp, naive=naive)
+
+
+def localize(stamp, from_='local', to='local', naive=False):
+    """
+    Creates a "localized" version of ``stamp`` and returns it.
+
+    ``stamp`` must be a :class:`datetime.datetime` instance.  If it is naive,
+    its value is interpreted as being local to the timezone referenced by
+    ``from_``.  If it is already aware (i.e. not naive), then ``from_`` is
+    ignored.
+
+    The timezone referenced by ``to`` is used to determine the final, "local"
+    value for the timestamp.  If ``naive`` is ``True``, the timestamp is
+    stripped of its ``tzinfo`` member before being returned.  Otherwise, it
+    will remain aware of its timezone.
+    """
+
+    if not stamp.tzinfo:
+        tz = get_timezone(from_)
+        stamp = tz.localize(stamp)
+    tz = get_timezone(to)
+    stamp = stamp.astimezone(tz)
+    if naive:
+        stamp = stamp.replace(tzinfo=None)
+    return stamp
+
+
+def utc_time(stamp=None, from_='local', naive=False):
+    """
+    Returns a :class:`datetime.datetime` instance, with its ``tzinfo`` member
+    set to the UTC timezone.  If ``naive`` is ``True``, the result is stripped
+    of its ``tzinfo`` member.
+
+    If ``stamp`` is provided, and it is not already "aware," then its value is
+    interpreted as being local to the timezone referenced by ``from_``.
+
+    If ``stamp`` is not provided, the current time is assumed.
+    """
+
+    if not stamp:
+        stamp = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+        stamp = pytz.utc.localize(stamp)
+    elif not stamp.tzinfo:
+        stamp = localize(stamp, from_=from_)
+    return localize(stamp, to='utc', naive=naive)