diff --git a/wortschlucker/src/wortschlucker.py b/wortschlucker/src/wortschlucker.py
index 8e7f203..53a4ab6 100755
--- a/wortschlucker/src/wortschlucker.py
+++ b/wortschlucker/src/wortschlucker.py
@@ -146,11 +146,16 @@ class Poll(sqlobject.SQLObject):
                 poll_setting[0].value = validated_value
             elif poll_setting.count() == 0:
                 PollSetting(poll_id=self.id, key=key, value=validated_value)
-	    if (key == 'public') and (value > 0):
-		publish_twitter_alert( \
-			config.get('misc','twitter_alert_prefix')+' '+self.title[0:79]+' http://wortschlucker.de/'+self.hash_key, \
-			config.get('misc','twitter_alert_user'), \
-			config.get('misc','twitter_alert_password'))
+        if (key == 'public') and (value > 0):
+            self.announce_via_twitter()
+
+    def announce_via_twitter(self):
+        complete_url = self.get_url(absolute=True)
+        title = "%s %s %s" % (config.get('misc', 'twitter_alert_prefix'),
+                self.title[:79], complete_url)
+        username = config.get('misc', 'twitter_alert_user')
+        password = config.get('misc', 'twitter_alert_password')
+        publish_twitter_alert(title, username, password)
 
     def get_num_of_submitters(self):
         all_submitters = [submission.submitter for submission in ContentSubmission.selectBy(poll_id=self.id)]
@@ -175,20 +180,20 @@ class Poll(sqlobject.SQLObject):
             setting.destroySelf()
         self.destroySelf()
 
-    def get_url(self):
-        return "%s%s" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.hash_key)
+    def get_url(self, absolute=False):
+        return get_url_string("%s%s" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.hash_key), absolute)
 
-    def get_submit_url(self):
-        return "%s%s/submit" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.hash_key)
+    def get_submit_url(self, absolute=False):
+        return get_url_string("%s%s/submit" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.hash_key), absolute)
 
-    def get_admin_url(self):
-        return "%s%s" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.admin_hash_key)
+    def get_admin_url(self, absolute=False):
+        return get_url_string("%s%s" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.admin_hash_key), absolute)
 
-    def get_edit_url(self):
-        return "%s%s/admin" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.admin_hash_key)
+    def get_edit_url(self, absolute=False):
+        return get_url_string("%s%s/admin" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.admin_hash_key), absolute)
 
-    def get_delete_url(self):
-        return "%s%s/delete" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.admin_hash_key)
+    def get_delete_url(self, absolute=False):
+        return get_url_string("%s%s/delete" % (BASE_DICT["base_url"], self.admin_hash_key), absolute)
 
     def get_creation_time_string(self):
         return str(self.timestamp_creation)
@@ -295,6 +300,21 @@ def get_default_values(**kwargs):
         value_dict[key] = value
     return value_dict
 
+def get_url_string(url, absolute=False):
+    """ return the URL as it is or turn it into an absolute URL
+
+    @value url: the given URL
+    @type url: str
+    @value absolute: should the URL be absolute or relative?
+    @type absolute: bool
+    @returns: the relative or absolute URL
+    @rtype: str
+    """
+    if absolute:
+        return config.get('hosting', 'full_base_url') + url
+    else:
+        return url
+
 def render(filename, input_data=None, **values):
     stream = loader.load(filename).generate(**values)
     if not input_data is None:
@@ -362,10 +382,11 @@ def get_new_hash_key(length=16, charset=None):
 def publish_twitter_alert(text, user, passwd):
     api = twitter.Api(username=user, password=passwd)
     try:
-	    api.PostUpdate(text)
-    except:
-	    #twitter error, most likely because of a duplicate message
-	    pass
+        api.PostUpdate(text)
+    except HTTPError:
+        # twitter error, most likely because of a duplicate message
+        # or maybe an authentication failure
+        pass
 
 
 @bobo.query('/new')
@@ -632,7 +653,7 @@ def show_one_poll(poll_hash=None, add_related=None, del_related=None):
         else:
             return bobo.redirect(BASE_DICT["base_url"])
 
-@bobo.query('/node/:pagename')	
+@bobo.query('/node/:pagename')
 def show_static_nodes(pagename=None):
     """ meant for serving hand-changed, automatically styled content. """
     value_dict = get_default_values()