Thfire.com – iNews

Google has launched its very own short-URL service to the public, Goo.gl.

With the world being taken over by Twitter along with its 140-characters limit, the demand for short-URL service has been increasing. As you cannot really share a long URL without the help of these services.

Google's URL Shortener service Goo.gl

The most popular service so far is Bit.ly. They sure have to brace themselves for the competition from the Big G himself.

Goo.gl interface seems very similar to Bit.ly including its statistics. But of course without the fancy design of Bit.ly as being simply and to the point is what Google always does.

Since this game is all about number of characters. The lower the better.

Bit.ly and Goo.gl are initially equal. They both are 6-characters in length. But in looking smaller Bit.ly wins!

Now, lets try to short an URL : http://www.thfire.com/offbeat/10-weirdest-ebay-auctions-7724 <- this is 60-characters long!

Bit.ly : http://bit.ly/c04MFq <– 20-Characters with ‘http://’ and 13-characters without ‘http://’

Goo.gl : http://goo.gl/DVaF <– 18-Characters with ‘http://’ and 11-characters without ‘http://’

Since Goo.gl is new it can offer a much smaller URL right now, but as people start using it they size must increase to accommodate new URLs. I am guessing they can support 557,845 18-character URLs.

I also checked the redirection time. Both seems pretty fast. I couldn’t find any considerable difference.

Goo.gl is winning by 2 characters right now.

So, lets see what Google tell us why we must use Goo.gl. According to Google’s Social Web Blog, “when you click a goo.gl shortened URL, you’re protected against malware, phishing and spam using the same industry-leading technology we use in search and other products.”

“Earlier today, Google engineer Matt Cutts tweeted … add .qr to a shortened goo.gl URL and you’ll create a QR code that, when scanned, will redirect to the original URL. It’s a quirky additive that makes goo.gl all the more friendly for brands and marketers experimenting with QR codes. A Twitter tipster also informed us that you can add .info to the goo.gl URL to check out analytics,” Mashable said.

NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reports that Michael Turner’s groin injury is “mild,” and he’s only being held out of Sunday’s game because it’s a blowout.

Patriots QB Tom Brady was in a two car crash at 6:34 this morning, according to reports.

Responders used the “Jaws Of Life” to rescue the driver of the other car, a Ford minivan.

Brady suffered whiplash and was shaken up, but reports indicate he was otherwise unharmed.

The quarterback, who won three (and played in four) Super Bowls for the Patriots in the last decade, is reportedly in the middle of negotiating a new contract that would pay him $58 million over three years.

The NFL season starts tonight with a game between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings. Brady’s season starts Sunday.

Brady is worth a lot to the Patriots. After he suffered a season-ending knee injury two years ago, analysts estimated the franchises value took a $100 million hit.

Reggie Bush who was subjected to investigation following the reports of him accepting cash, gifts and other impermissible benefits while playing for the Trojans is about to be stripped off the honor.

According to Yahoo Sports,

Two sources close to the Heisman trust said the body’s investigation is coming to a close, and will ultimately concur with the NCAA’s determination that Bush was ineligible during his Heisman-winning season in 2005. Because of that independent conclusion, sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant. The sources said Bush met with Heisman representatives last month at the New York law offices of Emmet, Marvin & Martin. The sources would not reveal details of that meeting.

The investigation first broke out after  NCAA claimed that Bush has taken bribes during the tournament. This let the UFC to conduct its own investigation. After years of investigations finally the trust has concluded that Bush has indeed taken gift.

As a result, he will be striped off the honor which he received on 2004.

The status of USC’s 2004 Bowl Championship Series national title remains to be determined. BCS officials are awaiting the NCAA’s ruling on the Trojans’ appeal of the June finding.

Che, this is really shame to the game and sportsmanship . Athelethes today are easily driven to the gifts and bribes. No more do they play for the honor.

The one that plays for gift will be surely caught and the case of Bush has just proved that. So be aware those who cheat!!!

Controversies involving Cricket has became a common news these days. The new one to emerge is frankly  a serious issue.

Australian Cricketers have openly expressed that they are unhappy with their Cricket board for the plans to have a split innings ODI format.

What is a split Innings ODI format?

Presently, Cricket is played on 50 overs concept called as One day International. Few Saints of Cricket have decided to split the innings of 50 overs to make it as exciting as twenty twenty cricket.

This new format will adopt the method of Test match innings concept.

The split innings format will divide the innings into two blocks, the first will be of 20 overs each and the second of 25 overs. The fielding restrictions will stay for the first five overs of the four innings.

Cricket Australia wants Split innings

CA has decided to implement the split innings format starting this domestic season.

CA’s CEO James Sutherland said the format had been decided after intense consultation.

‘We have listened to the public, undertaken comprehensive consultation across Australian cricket and developed a format which we now want to test thoroughly this summer.’

Players Stand

The players say that they were not properly consulted by CA before the format was ratified.

The decision by CA to the split innings in this year’s domestic one-day event was made before collective player input was even sought,’ Paul Marsh, Chief Executive, Australian Cricketers Association was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.

‘For the people that play and know the game better than anyone, this process has been difficult to comprehend and players are very disappointed. Players are open to changes to any format of the game that can make the game better.’

‘They acknowledge that the one-day format has had its recent challenges and as a collective they want to help those running the game find the best solution.’

The players don’t believe the split innings format is the best solution,’ said Marsh

Flashback from Admin

The players cry over happened exactly the same way when 20-20 over matches were first played. Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Pointing, Mathew Hayden, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Shawn Pollock and many great of Cricket strongly gave a negative response for this format.

But now the same people are praising the 20-20 game for its contribution for the development of Cricket.

I think this is great way to establish the cricket game. Honestly, 50-50 over matches are less popular these days thanks to 20-20.  If something is not done on this issue then we will have no crowd cheers for the game.

If Players are concerned about the injuries and pressure this new format will demand them to do, then the Cricket Boards  has to keep a pool of players ready for replacement.

Just 200 days left to go for the massive Cricket World cup 2011, the major issue of naming the mascot has come to an end.

The Mascot has been named “Stumpy” that represents The Elephant which is the national animal of Sri Lanka.

Earlier, there were talks of naming the mascot as The Googly.Since the name was previously used in the world cup 1996,eventually the name was dropped.

Later on,the World Cup running nations India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh decided to keep an Online poll for cricket lovers to select the mascot and ended up with the name Stumpy.

As a cricket lover, i think the name is catchy. But  i really hope the Sub Continent doesn’t spoil the thrill of the game and host it in a better way.

The Blue Jays acquired shortstop Yunel Escobar and pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes from the Braves for shortstop Alex Gonzalez and minor leaguers Tim Collins and Tyler Pastronicky, according to a team press release.  The Jays designated Ronald Uviedo for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

The move comes as a big surprise, as Escobar was perhaps one of the more valuable commodities in the game when the 2009 season concluded.  Just a few days ago, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman wrote that the Braves “simply aren’t willing to sell low on a guy who they still view as the game’s top defensive shortstop.”  Escobar was worth over four wins last year, but his power has disappeared in 301 plate appearances this year.  Escobar will be arbitration-eligible for the first time after this season, so he’ll be under the Jays’ control through 2013.

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