Retrieving JSON information from Google Custom Search API using ruby

I'm currently using Google's RESTful Custom Search API in order to retrieve Google custom search results in the JSON format. My code looks something like this:

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

params = "key=#{key}&cx=#{cx}&q=#{query}&alt=#{alt}"
uri = "https://www.googleapis.com/customsea开发者_StackOverflow社区rch/v1?#{params}"
r = Net::HTTP.get_response(URI.parse(uri).host, URI.parse(uri).path)

temp_file = 'testfile.html'
File.open(temp_file, 'w') { |f| f.write(r.body) }
`firefox #{temp_file}`

With the key, cx, query and alt variables all having been given suitable values. Now, when I copy and paste the uri string into my browser, I get back the JSON information I was expecting. However, when I try run the code, Firefox opens a page containing only the following message:

{"error":{"errors":[{"domain":"global","reason":"sslRequired","message":"SSL is required    to perform this operation."}],"code":403,"message":"SSL is required to perform this operation."}}

This message also appears if I try running puts r.body instead of writing to file and opening in the browser. Can someone tell me what's going wrong?

---

Net::HTTP uses http without SSL (https) by default. You can see the instructions here: http://www.rubyinside.com/nethttp-cheat-sheet-2940.html under "SSL/HTTPS request"

require 'uri'
require 'net/https'

params = "key=#{key}&cx=#{cx}&q=#{query}&alt=#{alt}"
uri = URI.parse("https://www.googleapis.com/customsearch/v1?#{params}")

http= Net::HTTP.new(uri.host,uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true
http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE
r=http.request(Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri.request_uri))

temp_file = 'testfile.html'
File.open(temp_file, 'w') { |f| f.write(r.body) }
`firefox #{temp_file}`