URL: http://maps.google.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=40.714728,-73.998672&markers=icon:http://tinyurl.com/2ftvtt6&zoom=12&size=400x400&sensor=false>
It seems that you defined marker style, but didn't define marker location. It should be:
http://maps.google.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=40.714728,-73.998672&markers=icon:http://tinyurl.com/2ftvtt6|40.714728,-73.998672&zoom=12&size=400x400&sensor=false