public void start(String key,String message){
  Date now=new Date();
  startTimes.put(key,now);
  message="" + message;
  log(now,"-> " + key + (message.isEmpty() ? "" : ": " + message));
}

public void start ( String key , String message ) { Date now = new Date ( ) ; startTimes . put ( key , now ) ; message = "" + message ; log ( now , "-> " + key + ( message . isEmpty ( ) ? "" : ": " + message ) ) ; }
emits a message to the log , marking the start of a time interval .
