Python timer app. When timer expires, it jiggles the icon in the unity launcher until a 'KILL' signal is sent to its pipe.

my-timer.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

from gi.repository import Unity, GObject, Dbusmenu
import time, sys, re, os, pipes, StringIO
DESKTOP_FILE_NAME = 'my-timer.desktop'
PIPEFILE_NAME = '/tmp/my-timer-pipefile'

# Assumes your desktop file is 'my-timer.desktop'
launcher = Unity.LauncherEntry.get_for_desktop_id(DESKTOP_FILE_NAME)
launcher.set_property('progress_visible', True)
loop = GObject.MainLoop()
progress = 0
if not os.path.exists(PIPEFILE_NAME):
	os.mkfifo(PIPEFILE_NAME)
pipefilefd = os.open(PIPEFILE_NAME, os.O_RDONLY|os.O_NONBLOCK)
pipefile = os.fdopen(pipefilefd, 'r')
kill_flag = False

def init():
	# Calc timeout and start time
	timearr = re.split('\D+', sys.argv[1])
	print 'Parsed time:', timearr
	n = len(timearr)
	hr = int(timearr[-3]) if n >= 3 else 0
	mn = int(timearr[-2] or 0) if n >= 2 else int(timearr[0])
	sc = int(timearr[-1]) if n >= 2 else 0
	global seconds, starttime
	seconds = sc + 60*mn + 360*hr
	starttime = GObject.get_current_time()
	print 'Timer for '+str(seconds)+' seconds'
	# Quicklist
	global timedisp
	ql = Dbusmenu.Menuitem.new()
	timedisp = Dbusmenu.Menuitem.new()
	timedisp.property_set(Dbusmenu.MENUITEM_PROP_LABEL, "Remaining: *")
	timedisp.property_set_bool(Dbusmenu.MENUITEM_PROP_VISIBLE, True)
	ql.child_append(timedisp)
	launcher.set_property('quicklist', ql)

def cleanup():
	pipefile.close()
	os.remove(PIPEFILE_NAME);
	loop.quit()

def do_urgency():
	if kill_flag:
		cleanup()
		return False
	else:
	    urgent = launcher.get_property("urgent")
	    launcher.set_property("urgent", not urgent)
	    return True

def update_progress():
	tdelta = GObject.get_current_time() - starttime
	progress = tdelta/seconds
	if progress >= 1.0:
		launcher.set_property('progress_visible', False)
		GObject.timeout_add_seconds(1, do_urgency)
		return False
	else:
		launcher.set_property('progress', progress)
		remaining = seconds - tdelta
		mn = remaining / 60
		hr = mn / 60
		stamp = StringIO.StringIO()
		stamp.write("Remaining: %d:%02d:%02d" % (hr, mn%60, remaining%60))
		timedisp.property_set(Dbusmenu.MENUITEM_PROP_LABEL, stamp.getvalue())
		return True

def pipefile_in_cb(src, condition):
	data = src.read()
	print 'DATA READ:', data
	if re.match('.*KILL.*', data):
		print 'setting kill flag'
		global kill_flag
		kill_flag = True
	else:
		return True

init()

GObject.timeout_add_seconds(1, update_progress)
GObject.io_add_watch(pipefile, GObject.IO_IN, pipefile_in_cb)
loop.run()