sub helper
{
        $SIG{'ALRM'}=sub { print "I am immortal, you fool!\n" };
        # forked process, wastes 10 seconds
        for (1..10) {
                print "helper: start of second $_\n";
                select(undef,undef,undef,1); # poor man's sleep, without messing with alarm
                print "helper: end of second $_\n";
        }
}