Abstract: A unitary package having a retractable applicator is particularly suited for dispensing liquid or semi-liquid cosmetic products, such as lip gloss or mascara. The package has a main body and a tubular shell arranged concentrically, wherein the tubular shell has a first portion disposed externally of the main body and a second portion disposed internally of the main body. The outer surface of the tubular shell is adapted to be grasped and rotated with respect to the main body. The inside of the main body defines a reservoir, and the applicator is positioned within and movable with respect to the reservoir. The portion of the tubular shell internal to the main body is threaded and cooperates with threads on the applicator to cause the applicator to extend from within the reservoir to a position external of the package.

Abstract: A system and method of enhanced backplane messaging among a plurality of computer boards communicating over a common bus uses a set of pre-allocated buffers on each computer board to receive messages from other computer boards. Each sending computer board is represented on each remote computer board by a descriptor ring with pointers to pre-allocated buffers on that remote computer board. When a sending computer board has a message to deliver to a remote computer board, the sending computer board uses its DMA controller to transfer the message into the pre-allocated buffers on the remote computer board. The sending computer board also sends a mailbox interrupt to the remote computer board. The remote computer board interrupt handler searches its descriptor rings and manipulates a series of pointers to move messages from the descriptor rings to the intended receiving application(s). Pointer manipulation is also used to replenish the descriptor ring(s) with empty buffer(s).