What's up with gravity wave detection?

I found an old PBS documentary on VHS from 1991 called _The Astronomers_
at the local public library. One of the programs in the series was
"Waves of the Future" about gravitational waves. In the program Kip
Thorne was shown making a bet with one of his collaborators on gravity
wave theory that these waves would positively be detected by 2000.

I found this both humorous and a touch sad. The program described some
of the early planning for LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave
Observatory). Curious, I went to the LIGO web site to see what was
going on. I found nothing of substance there -- just a lot of slick PR.

So my question is, what are the prospects that gravity waves will be
detected anytime soon? Is LIGO still having technical problems or what?
It is now 2004, after all. Other detection labs are being built around
the world. Are these labs going to have any better luck?

Also, what are people's opinions about gravity waves? Is it possible
that these are a scientific dead end like the decay of the proton turned
out to be? If gravity waves are never detected, what are the
implications for the general theory of relativity?