I just took a moment to reread this thread. My take on the general situation is this:
The current direction of the GB/publishers/editors of the literature is to pretty much ignore general appeal to outsiders.
Just look at the "big news tract" of a month or so ago. It essentially says "your religion is false and you are about to be destroyed". The society was practrically jubilant over their stupid assumption that this tract could very well cause "false religion" to rise up in an uproar toward the witnesses. (as if anybody cared what their monumental tract said). And this was something specifically made to send out to the public!
Can you imagine a more abrasive subject and message?
Also look at the fact that they are backing away from public placement of the books and magazines - this used to be the major cash cow for the society. It almost seems as though now the cash is being raised from another, more obvious, source - effectively involuntary contributions from congregations and assemblies.
This leaves them free to really let their hair down on issues of "loyalty and discipline" in both the WT and Awake. Note that Blondie has given a humorous review of just about every WT study article over the past few months, and almost every one is about blindly following the slave or some such idiocy.
So, I would say no - I for one really cannot imagine what the hell they are thinking. Unless they just don't care at all about presenting an effective appeal to persons on the outside.
James