diff --git a/plugins/quote.py b/plugins/quote.py
index cb20f2b..dd1680b 100755
--- a/plugins/quote.py
+++ b/plugins/quote.py
@@ -12,15 +12,9 @@ def format_quote(q, num, n_quotes):
 
 def create_table_if_not_exists(db):
     "Creates an empty quote table if one does not already exist"
-    db.execute('''CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS quote (
-                     chan, 
-                     nick, 
-                     add_nick, 
-                     msg, 
-                     time real,
-                     deleted default 0, 
-                     PRIMARY KEY (chan, nick, msg)
-                  )''')
+    db.execute("create table if not exists quote"
+        "(chan, nick, add_nick, msg, time real, deleted default 0, "
+        "primary key (chan, nick, msg))")
     db.commit()
 
 def add_quote(db, chan, nick, add_nick, msg):
@@ -37,15 +31,12 @@ def add_quote(db, chan, nick, add_nick, msg):
 
 def del_quote(db, chan, nick, add_nick, msg):
     "Deletes a quote from a nick"
-    db.execute('''UPDATE quote 
-                  SET deleted = 1 
-                  WHERE chan=? 
-                  AND lower(nick)=lower(?)
-                  AND msg=msg''')
+    db.execute('''UPDATE quote SET deleted = 1 WHERE
+                  chan=? AND lower(nick)=lower(?) AND msg=msg''')
     db.commit()
 
 def get_quote_num(num, count, name):
-    "Returns the quote number desired from the database"
+    "Returns the quote number to fetch from the DB"
     if num:  # Make sure num is a number if it isn't false
         num = int(num)
     if count == 0:  # If there are no quotes in the database, raise an Exception.
@@ -62,9 +53,7 @@ def get_quote_num(num, count, name):
 
 def get_quote_by_nick(db, nick, num=False):
     "Returns a formatted quote from a nick, random or selected by number"
-    count = db.execute('''SELECT COUNT(*)
-                          FROM quote
-                          WHERE deleted != 1
+    count = db.execute('''SELECT COUNT(*) FROM quote WHERE deleted != 1
                           AND lower(nick) = lower(?)''', [nick]).fetchall()[0][0]
 
     try:
diff --git a/plugins/shorten.py b/plugins/shorten.py
index 270194b..8a028a4 100755
--- a/plugins/shorten.py
+++ b/plugins/shorten.py
@@ -12,28 +12,32 @@ class ShortenError(Exception):
 
     def __str__(self):
         return repr(self.value)
- 
+
 def bitly(url, user, apikey):
     try:
+        if url[:8] == "https://":
+            pass
+        elif url[:7] != "http://":
+            url = "http://" + url
         params = urlencode({'longUrl': url, 'login': user, 'apiKey': apikey, 'format': 'json'})
         j = http.get_json("http://api.bit.ly/v3/shorten?%s" % params)
         if j['status_code'] == 200:
             return j['data']['url']
-        raise ShortenError('%s'%j['status_txt'])
+        raise ShortenError('%s' % j['status_txt'])
     except (HTTPError, ShortenError):
         return "Could not shorten %s!" % url
 
 @hook.command
-def shorten(inp, bot=None):
+def shorten(inp, bot = None):
     ".shorten <url> - Makes an j.mp/bit.ly shortlink to the url provided."
-    api_user = bot.config.get("api_keys", {}).get("bitly_user", None)    	
+    api_user = bot.config.get("api_keys", {}).get("bitly_user", None)
     api_key = bot.config.get("api_keys", {}).get("bitly_api", None)
     if api_key is None:
         return "error: no api key set"
     return bitly(inp, api_user, api_key)
 
 @hook.command
-def expand(inp, bot=None):
+def expand(inp, bot = None):
     ".expand <url> - Gets the original URL from a shortened link."
     try:
         url = http.get_url(inp)
diff --git a/plugins/time.py b/plugins/time.py
index 3e64edf..d64d11a 100755
--- a/plugins/time.py
+++ b/plugins/time.py
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ def timecommand(inp, say=None):
         try:
             return get_time(inp)
         except ValueError:
-            return "Could not get time for " + inp + "!"
+            return "Could not get the time for " + inp + "!"