private byte[] GetURLContents(string url)
{
    // The downloaded resource ends up in the variable named content.
    var content = new MemoryStream();

    // Initialize an HttpWebRequest for the current URL.
    var webReq = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(url);

    // Send the request to the Internet resource and wait for
    // the response.
    using (WebResponse response = webReq.GetResponse())
    {
        // Get the data stream that is associated with the specified URL.
        using (Stream responseStream = response.GetResponseStream())
        {
            // Read the bytes in responseStream and copy them to content.  
            responseStream.CopyTo(content);
        }
    }

    // Return the result as a byte array.
    return content.ToArray();
}
//csharp/6577