[TXnMA]

Could be. Out here in the boonies, I dumped my lousy satellite ISP for Verizon -- which has a nearby tower.

%$$#% Verizion's so-called "Unlimited" internet has a 15GB LIMIT. which I've already exceeded -- and am now on near-dialup speeds until the next billing cycle. ("Bait & Switch tactic?)

Guess the throttled speed could be having a similar effect to the satellite latency which prevented me from accessing Apple's help servers...

[Swordmaker]

%$$#% Verizion's so-called "Unlimited" internet has a 15GB LIMIT. which I've already exceeded -- and am now on near-dialup speeds until the next billing cycle. ("Bait & Switch tactic?)

There's your problem. It sometimes takes a long time to load even with my 50Mb/s Comcast connection. It loads EVERYTHING in every drop from the beginning. . .