Thanks Lemurian. It has been 10 years since I was on the Bus and I frankly could not remember what the zoom maneuver from 250/10000 would yield. I think the point my instructor was trying to bring across was that one should not grow complacent with the protections and that they are designed to "protect" but not necessarily "save!" A bit TIC there of course, but I was just struck by some very subtle posts here that hinted that the Bus would correct the rise of the right wing etc. as if in complete bewilderment that the machine did not "stop" a deteriorating flight path/profile. That is why I was impressed with some of the posters who would proffer quite detailed explanations of the technical aspects of the flight control laws, but then add the caveat that it is still an airplane and quite understandably is subject to the normal laws of aerodynamics.
I just wish we could see the data!