public void initialize() throws InterruptedException {
  check(0,0,0);
  for (  Thread t : threads) {
    t.start();
  }
  ready.await();
  check(numthreads,0,0);
}

public void initialize ( ) throws InterruptedException { check ( 0 , 0 , 0 ) ; for ( Thread t : threads ) { t . start ( ) ; } ready . await ( ) ; check ( numthreads , 0 , 0 ) ; }
starts threads and gets them ready for the firing pistol
