diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/d/actors.d b/M2/Macaulay2/d/actors.d
index efc6dfd42b..83f1b33264 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/d/actors.d
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/d/actors.d
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ export (lhs:Expr) * (rhs:Expr) : Expr := (
 	       is null do buildErrorPacket(EngineError("monomial ideal multiplication failed"))
 	       )
 	  else binarymethod(lhs,rhs,StarS))
-     is x:RawMatrixCell do (				    -- # typical value: symbol *, RawMatrix, RawRingElement, RawRingElement
+     is x:RawMatrixCell do (					    -- # typical value: symbol *, RawMatrix, RawRingElement, RawMatrix
 	  when rhs
 	  is y:RawRingElementCell do (
 	       when x.p*y.p
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/d/parse.d b/M2/Macaulay2/d/parse.d
index a5765f0acb..daf87278af 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/d/parse.d
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/d/parse.d
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@ export LocalQuote := {+Operator:Token, rhs:Token, local:void};
 export Binary := {+lhs:ParseTree, Operator:Token, rhs:ParseTree};
 export Unary  := {+Operator:Token, rhs:ParseTree};
 export Postfix:= {+lhs:ParseTree, Operator:Token};
-export ArrayParseTree := array(ParseTree);
 export Parentheses := {+ left:Token, contents:ParseTree, right:Token };
 export EmptyParentheses := {+ left:Token, right:Token };
 export dummy := {+position:Position};
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/d/parser.d b/M2/Macaulay2/d/parser.d
index ca1a23a7ca..98ca764320 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/d/parser.d
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/d/parser.d
@@ -273,30 +273,6 @@ matcher(left:string):string := (
 	  );
      ""
      );
-export varexprlist := {
-     list:array(ParseTree),
-     size:int
-     };
-export newvarexprlist(i:int):varexprlist := varexprlist(
-     new array(ParseTree) len i do provide dummyTree, 
-     0);
-needatleast(i:int,v:varexprlist):void := (
-     if length(v.list) < i then (
-     	  v.list = new array(ParseTree) len 2*i do (
-	       foreach e in v.list do provide e;
-	       while true do provide dummyTree;
-	       );
-     	  );
-     );
-export (v:varexprlist) << (e:ParseTree) : varexprlist := (
-     needatleast(v.size + 1,v);
-     v.list.(v.size) = e;
-     v.size = v.size + 1;
-     v
-     );
-export toexprlist(v:varexprlist):ArrayParseTree := (
-     new array(ParseTree) len v.size do foreach e in v.list do provide e
-     );
 export unaryparen(left:Token,file:TokenFile,prec:int,obeylines:bool):ParseTree := (
      rightparen := matcher(left.word.name);
      if rightparen == peektoken(file,false).word.name
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/modules.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/modules.m2
index 3932f496b2..6c98e9b6d0 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/modules.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/modules.m2
@@ -352,14 +352,6 @@ isSubset(Module, Module) := (M, N) -> (
 
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
--- the key for issub hooks under GlobalHookStore
-protect ContainmentHooks
-issub = (f, g) -> f === g or ring f === ring g and tryHooks(ContainmentHooks, (f, g),
-    -- This is used by isSubset and for checking equality of ideals and modules.
-    -- Specialized strategies may be added as hooks, for instance for local rings.
-    -- TODO: how can do better in the homogeneous case?
-    (f, g) -> -1 === rawGBContains(raw gb g, raw f))
-
 -- used for sorting a list of modules
 Module ? Module := (M, N) -> if rank M != rank N then rank M ? rank N else degrees M ? degrees N
 
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/monideal.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/monideal.m2
index 59b5529583..35fb9fd780 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/monideal.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/monideal.m2
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ monomialIdeal Sequence := v -> monomialIdeal toList v
 monomialIdeal RingElement := v -> monomialIdeal {v}
 
 MonomialIdeal#1 = I -> monomialIdeal 1_(ring I)
-MonomialIdeal ^ ZZ    := MonomialIdeal => (I, n) -> monomialIdeal (ideal I)^n
+MonomialIdeal ^ ZZ    := MonomialIdeal => BinaryPowerMethod
 MonomialIdeal ^ Array := MonomialIdeal => (I, e) -> monomialIdeal (ideal I)^e
 
 MonomialIdeal + MonomialIdeal := MonomialIdeal => ((I, J) -> newMonomialIdeal(ring I, raw I + raw J)) @@ samering
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/monoids.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/monoids.m2
index 72cc963ef2..64b3a0a7ad 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/m2/monoids.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/m2/monoids.m2
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ degree MonoidElement := m -> (
 baseName MonoidElement := m -> if #(s := rawSparseListFormMonomial raw m) == 1 and s#0#1 == 1
     then (class m).generatorSymbols#(s#0#0) else error "expected a generator"
 
+promote(IndexedVariable, RingElement) := RingElement => (m, R) -> promote(value m, R)
 promote(MonoidElement, RingElement) := RingElement => (m, R) -> (
     k := coefficientRing first flattenRing R;
     -- TODO: audit this code
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ promote(MonoidElement, RingElement) := RingElement => (m, R) -> (
     then new R from rawTerm(R.RawRing, raw 1_k, m.RawMonomial)
     else "expected monomial from same ring")
 
+lift(IndexedVariable, MonoidElement) := MonoidElement => (m, M) -> lift(value m, M)
 lift(RingElement, MonoidElement) := MonoidElement => (m, M) -> (
     k := coefficientRing first flattenRing(R := ring m);
     if instance(m, monoid k)
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/ov_language.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/ov_language.m2
index a74937d7a6..702f964dff 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/ov_language.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/ov_language.m2
@@ -606,18 +606,17 @@ document {
 		},
 	SeeAlso => {"if", "then"}
      }
-document { Key => "catch",
-     Headline => "catch a thrown exception", SeeAlso => {"throw"},
-     Usage => "catch c",
-     Outputs => {{"the value obtained by evaluating the code ", TT "c", ", or, if a ", TO "throw", " was executed during the evaluation of ", TT "c", ",
-	       the argument given to ", TO "throw", "."}},
-     EXAMPLE lines ///
-          catch scan(0..10, i -> if i == 5 then throw 18 else print i)
-     ///}
-document { Key => "throw",
-     Headline => "throw an exception", SeeAlso => {"catch"},
-     Usage => "throw x", 
-     Consequences => {{"the flow of control is passed to the surrounding ", TO "catch", ", and ", TT "x", " is returned as its value"}},
+document {
+    Key => {"throw", "catch"},
+    Headline => "throw and catch exceptions",
+    Usage => "catch c\nthrow x",
+    Outputs => {{
+	    TT "catch", " returns the value obtained by evaluating the code ", TT "c",
+	    ", or, if a ", TT "throw", " was executed during the evaluation of ", TT "c",
+	    ", the argument given to ", TT "throw", "."}},
+    Consequences => {{
+	    TT "throw", " passes the flow of control to the surrounding ", TT "catch",
+	    ", and ", TT "x", " is returned as its value"}},
      EXAMPLE lines ///
           catch scan(0..10, i -> if i == 5 then throw 18 else print i)
      ///}
diff --git a/M2/Macaulay2/tests/normal/monideal4.m2 b/M2/Macaulay2/tests/normal/monideal4.m2
index abf481ee14..94713fbb39 100644
--- a/M2/Macaulay2/tests/normal/monideal4.m2
+++ b/M2/Macaulay2/tests/normal/monideal4.m2
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@ I = monomialIdeal(a^3,b^2*c,a*c*d)
 J = saturate(I,a)
 J1 = monomialIdeal(1_R)
 assert(J == monomialIdeal(1_R))
-end
--- Local Variables:
--- compile-command: "make -C $M2BUILDDIR/Macaulay2/packages/Macaulay2Doc/test monideal4.out"
--- End:
+
+R = QQ[x_1..x_10]
+I = monomialIdeal vars R
+(t, J) = toSequence elapsedTiming I^6;
+assert(t < 1 and instance(J, MonomialIdeal) and numgens J == 5005)
+(t, K) = toSequence elapsedTiming saturate J;
+assert(t < 1 and instance(K, MonomialIdeal) and K == 1)
+(t, L) = toSequence elapsedTiming radical J;
+assert(t < 1 and instance(L, MonomialIdeal) and L == I)