Still without a contract, the Screen Actors Guild has sent a 12-page mailer to its members, arriving in mailboxes today, with a poll attached. It lets members choose one of two options regarding the $250 million offer from Hollywood studios and producers, the AMPTP:

• Continue negotiating with the AMPTP to secure a fair TV/movie theatrical contract for actors with better terms than the AMPTP’s June 30th “final offer."

• Accept the AMPTP’s June 30th “final offer" without modification.

The intention is to take the sense of the membership before September 15. With no deadlines or other upcoming lines in the sand, the stalemate has no pressing reason to be broken.

Nonetheless, the AMPTP wasted no time in sticking out its tongue in this statement:

"The two questions on the postcard "poll" are written in a completely one-sided way, characterizing the June 30 final offer as unfair.

The two sides then proceed to bicker over whether they are having "informal" talks. Yes they are, says SAG. No they're not, says the AMPTP.

Sounds like progress to me.