diff --git a/GPy/core/parameterization/observable_array.py b/GPy/core/parameterization/observable_array.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fc9d6cf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/GPy/core/parameterization/observable_array.py
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2012, GPy authors (see AUTHORS.txt).
+# Licensed under the BSD 3-clause license (see LICENSE.txt)
+
+__updated__ = '2014-03-31'
+
+import numpy as np
+from parameter_core import Observable, Pickleable
+
+class ObsAr(np.ndarray, Pickleable, Observable):
+    """
+    An ndarray which reports changes to its observers.
+    The observers can add themselves with a callable, which
+    will be called every time this array changes. The callable
+    takes exactly one argument, which is this array itself.
+    """
+    __array_priority__ = -1 # Never give back ObsAr
+    def __new__(cls, input_array, *a, **kw):
+        if not isinstance(input_array, ObsAr):
+            obj = np.atleast_1d(np.require(input_array, dtype=np.float64, requirements=['W', 'C'])).view(cls)
+        else: obj = input_array
+        #cls.__name__ = "ObsAr" # because of fixed printing of `array` in np printing
+        super(ObsAr, obj).__init__(*a, **kw)
+        return obj
+
+    def __array_finalize__(self, obj):
+        # see InfoArray.__array_finalize__ for comments
+        if obj is None: return
+        self._observer_callables_ = getattr(obj, '_observer_callables_', None)
+
+    def __array_wrap__(self, out_arr, context=None):
+        return out_arr.view(np.ndarray)
+
+    def copy(self):
+        memo = {}
+        memo[id(self)] = self
+        return self.__deepcopy__(memo)
+
+    def __deepcopy__(self, memo):
+        s = self.__new__(self.__class__, input_array=self.view(np.ndarray).copy())
+        memo[id(self)] = s
+        import copy
+        s.__dict__.update(copy.deepcopy(self.__dict__, memo))
+        return s
+
+    def __reduce__(self):
+        func, args, state = super(ObsAr, self).__reduce__()
+        return func, args, (state, Pickleable.__getstate__(self))
+
+    def __setstate__(self, state):
+        np.ndarray.__setstate__(self, state[0])
+        Pickleable.__setstate__(self, state[1])
+
+    def __setitem__(self, s, val):
+        super(ObsAr, self).__setitem__(s, val)
+        self.notify_observers()
+
+    def __getslice__(self, start, stop):
+        return self.__getitem__(slice(start, stop))
+
+    def __setslice__(self, start, stop, val):
+        return self.__setitem__(slice(start, stop), val)
+
+    def __ilshift__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__ilshift__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+    def __irshift__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__irshift__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __ixor__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__ixor__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __ipow__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__ipow__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __ifloordiv__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__ifloordiv__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __isub__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__isub__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __ior__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__ior__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __itruediv__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__itruediv__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __idiv__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__idiv__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __iand__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__iand__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __imod__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__imod__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __iadd__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__iadd__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
+
+
+    def __imul__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        r = np.ndarray.__imul__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.notify_observers()
+        return r
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/GPy/core/parameterization/param.py b/GPy/core/parameterization/param.py
index 182af902..60bdfe9d 100644
--- a/GPy/core/parameterization/param.py
+++ b/GPy/core/parameterization/param.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import itertools
 import numpy
 from parameter_core import OptimizationHandlable, adjust_name_for_printing
-from array_core import ObsAr
+from observable_array import ObsAr
 
 ###### printing
 __constraints_name__ = "Constraint"
diff --git a/GPy/likelihoods/__init__.py b/GPy/likelihoods/__init__.py
index cfdfaf72..1cd591a8 100644
--- a/GPy/likelihoods/__init__.py
+++ b/GPy/likelihoods/__init__.py
@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@ from poisson import Poisson
 from student_t import StudentT
 from likelihood import Likelihood
 from mixed_noise import MixedNoise
-from symbolic import Symbolic
-from negative_binomial import Negative_binomial
+#from symbolic import Symbolic
+#from negative_binomial import Negative_binomial
diff --git a/GPy/testing/parameterized_tests.py b/GPy/testing/parameterized_tests.py
index 7b918ff9..8bfaab4e 100644
--- a/GPy/testing/parameterized_tests.py
+++ b/GPy/testing/parameterized_tests.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import unittest
 import GPy
 import numpy as np
 from GPy.core.parameterization.parameter_core import HierarchyError
-from GPy.core.parameterization.array_core import ObsAr
+from GPy.core.parameterization.observable_array import ObsAr
 
 class ArrayCoreTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/GPy/testing/pickle_tests.py b/GPy/testing/pickle_tests.py
index 1837f07d..fc52581a 100644
--- a/GPy/testing/pickle_tests.py
+++ b/GPy/testing/pickle_tests.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from GPy.core.parameterization.index_operations import ParameterIndexOperations,
     ParameterIndexOperationsView
 import tempfile
 from GPy.core.parameterization.param import Param
-from GPy.core.parameterization.array_core import ObsAr
+from GPy.core.parameterization.observable_array import ObsAr
 from GPy.core.parameterization.priors import Gaussian
 from GPy.kern._src.rbf import RBF
 from GPy.kern._src.linear import Linear