Measuring network performance

On any computer that has a web browser that supports flash, one can use SpeedTest.net as a crude way to measure network performance.

It gives tree very important numbers. Ping time, sustained upload speed and sustained download speed to a menu of different hosts around the world.

Is there a method to get the same information given that you have access to only one *nix box?

I know that one can run ttcp or wget if you have access to two machines (say, one in NYC and another in LA or whatever). I know you can run ping to get the ping (obviously) but is there a way to do something like speedtest.net against a list of reference servers?

Best I can come up with is running wget or curl against a large file...