Block the google url redirect/rewrite of google searches ...
"http://www.google.com/url?sa=... etc"
... which creates a ridiculously long tracking/redirection url instead of the simple site address you're trying to access.
Clean url:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/redirect-remover/
Googles modified url:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=redirect+remover&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-US%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Fredirect-remover%2F&ei=6z9NT_qPOKnF0QXc5f3MAw&usg=AFQjCNF-3GKZYk46QVoaY5T25Bkl_2UNJA
For Firefox, I'm simply using "Redirect Remover" extension, and although it's no longer supported, it does the job.
https://addons.mozil...direct-remover/
For Opera, this blocking script works, although lots of others out there don't ...
https://gist.github.com/1780197/
If you're not happy doing the copy/paste from that site, and saving as a .js file, then you can download the file from here ...
http://www.mediafire...26lowawqwcssi24
Extract from the zip and folder, and place the "DisableGoogleSearchRewrite.js" file in your "user javascript" folder, which is usually found here ...
"C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Opera\Opera\styles\user"
The Firefox extension and Opera Script also enable you to right click and copy a "clean" google search link.