Mutex for overlapping online queue dispatching in JS (node)

overlappingQueueDispatch.js

var $ = require("jquery");

var things = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f"];

var mutex = 0;

var onSuccess = function( data){
	console.log("    Success: " + data + "  [" + mutex + "]");
	var sentThing = things.shift();
	console.log("      Dequeue item: " + sentThing + "  [" + mutex + "]")
	mutex--;
	send();
}

var onError = function(data) {
	console.log("    Error: " + data  + " [" + mutex + "]")
	mutex--;
}

var send = function() {
	
	var mutexWas = mutex++
	if( mutexWas > 0 ){
		console.log("   Something is already active - giving up [" + mutex + "]");
		mutex--;
		return;
	}
	else {
		if(things.length > 0) {
			console.log("  Attempting send [" + mutex + "]")
			var thing = things[0];
			$.get("http://muon.datacymru.net:81/tmp/sendandwait.php?thing="+thing).success(onSuccess).error(onError);
		}
		else {
			console.log("  Nothing to send [" + mutex + "]")
			mutex--;
		}
	}

	
}

var checkOnline = function() {

	console.log("We are online [" + mutex + "]");
	send();
	setTimeout(checkOnline, 1000);
}

setTimeout(checkOnline, 1000)