Ignore the test if we can't run GrokAssembly.exe
Merge remote-tracking branch 'upstream/master'
Fixes issue 75

Changed getConnection to public and made one which makes using the proxy optional, even if configured

Added a preflight request and proxy logic
minor correction to an if statement that missed the explicit check against null
removed my previous "correction" for the if statement...
refactored the creation of the HttpUrlConnection objects to a factory