ScarletRose: Substantially quicker here, too, in the US Midwest, since about 3-4 days ago.  Like many of you, I hesitated to speak up, fearing that it might just be some temporary phenomenon.

Of those of you who have had problems: did any of you make a note of the approximate date when our troubles began?  So many of the analyses and helpful suggestions only spoke of computer upgrades, ISPs, geographic locales, browser types...but lost in all of that was the starting date of our problems.  I'd have liked to look for a critical clue there...