Unable to log in to Hotmail via Opera

As some of you know (those of you who frequent Sitepoint with any regularity anyway), I recently changed my primary browser from FireFox to Opera. I'm noticing I can't get past the sign in page in Opera. In FireFox, I can get to my inbox, but cannot send or reply to emails.

I tried adjusting my site-specific permissions: cookies (I have them set to "accept only from sites I visit"), pop-ups, even how Opera identifies itself, all to no avail. I've even tried "opening the proverbial flood gates" for login.live.com (which Hotmail uses) to no avail.

I really don't want to have to use Internet Explorer just to check my Hotmail account every week (since Spybot Search & Destroy has a field day with every page Hotmail loads up - "sorry, but Microsoft's advertising partners are known for using spyware and tracking cookies, you've told me--in this case, Spybot--to block them, so I'm doing so").

Any ideas?