bubbers,
Incredibly good post. That illustrates the diffrence of philosophy, that example of yours.
In a Boeing you always have everything and anything available to you, given that the systems are working. In an AB, ok, 99% of the time this doesn't cause any problems... but in this overrun accident that we are talking about here, the confusion (as it seems now) cost the lives of 200 people. Something to think about.
Tero