Download and install the faster "optimized" client from here.

Pick the "Alternative download location" link if using Windows (haven't tried the Linux version) and it should take you to a page where you can download a 120Kb sized file in Zip format. Stop BOINC. Unzip the file into the Milkway folder in your BOINC Projects folder. Easy to find this folder location if you are using BOINC v5.x.x but darned difficult to find if using BOINC v6.x.x . Now re-start BOINC and allow Milkway to get work.

The server is getting hammered but eventually you should get some tasks. My Intel T2300 1.6 core duo laptop has gone from 8 hours a task to approx 12 minutes