sub minutes {
  my $time = shift;
  print "minutes handed $time " if $DEBUG_MINUTES;
  if ( $time =~ /(\d+):(\d+)/ ) {
    print "Interpreted as $1 hours $2 mins\n" if $DEBUG_MINUTES;
    return 60 * $1 + $2;
  } elsif (/(\d+)+(\d+):(\d+)/) {
    print "Interpreted as $1 days, $2 hours, $3 minutes\n" if $DEBUG_MINUTES;
    return ( 24 * $1 + $2 ) * 60 + $3;
  } else {
    warn "I don't understand time $time\n";
    return $time;
  }
}

##</code><code>##

archerh                                Thu Jun 22 10:25 - down  (-6+-12:-52)

##</code><code>##

minutes handed -6+-12:-52 Interpreted as 1 days, 0 hours, 25 minutes