else
  {
    $attempts++;
    print("Trying again ... ($attempts) \n");
      print( scalar localtime() . "About to sleep\n" );
    sleep(3); #sleep 3 seconds before trying again
      print( scalar localtime() . "Finished sleep\n" );
  }

##</code><code>##

    print( scalar localtime() . "About to connect\n" ); 
  $connected = connect(SOCK, $paddr);
    print( scalar localtime() . "Finished connect\n" );

##</code><code>##

  select( ( select(STDOUT), $| = 1 )[0] );
  select( ( select(STDERR), $| = 1 )[0] );