function killNote(transition) {
        transition
            .duration(700)
            .style('opacity', 0)
            .each('end', function(thisText) {
                var thisIndex = NOTEDATA.indexOf(thisText);
                if(thisIndex !== -1) NOTEDATA.splice(thisIndex, 1);
                d3.select(this).remove();
            });
    }
notifier
@param {String} text The person's user name
@param {Number} [delay=1000] The delay time in milliseconds
         or 'long' which provides 2000 ms delay time.
@return {undefined} this function does not return a value