# Make sure LWP::UserAgent uses the right kind of socket
use IO::Socket::SSL;
$NET::HTTPS::SSL_SOCKET_CLASS = 'IO::Socket::SSL';
use LWP::UserAgent;

# some servers immediately go radio-silent
# if you try SSL versions < 3
our %ssl_options = (SSL_version => 'SSLv3');

...
$ua = LWP::UserAgent->new(ssl_opts => \%ssl_options),

##</code><code>##

{
  local $NET::HTTPS::SSL_SOCKET_CLASS = 'IO::Socket::SSL';
  $ua = LWP::UserAgent->new(ssl_opts => \%ssl_options),
}