Variety editor in chief Peter Bart blogs that the Screen Actors Guild decision to call a strike vote can be summed up this way: "Its other strategies having failed, SAG may now try to obliterate Hollywood’s awards season."

That seems to be the threat implicit in the guild’s announcement over the weekend that it had decided to pursue a strike authorization. The efforts of a mediator to resolve the conflict have failed. Now comes the hammer....

If SAG were to throw a monkey wrench into Oscar season, as the writer’s did a year ago, its action would doubtless stir wrath throughout the creative community. Hollywood is strike weary. The financial collapse has also taken its toll.

So do actors really want to be both alienated and broke?

At LA Biz Observed, Mark Lacter looks at the cross currents behind the SAG move.