gistfile1.py

    @classmethod
    def shorten(cls, url):
        # Make sure the URL hasn't already been shortened, since github
        # may does this in the future for web hooks. Better safe than silly.
        if re.search(r'^https?://git.io', url):
            return url

        # Only github URLs can be shortened by the git.io service, which
        # will return a 201 created on success and return the new url
        # in the Location header.
        try:
            r = requests.post('http://git.io', data={
                'url': url
            }, timeout=4.0)
        except requests.exceptions.Timeout:
            return url

        # Something went wrong, usually means we're being throttled.
        # TODO: If we are being throttled, handle this smarter instead
        #       of trying again on the next message.
        if r.status_code != 201:
            return url

        return r.headers['Location']