Note the following case where a 2-year shelf life still applies (from page 24 of your second link):
The two-year limitation on the amount of securities that may be registered continues to apply to business combination transactions under Rule 415(a)(i)(viii)…
In the general case, the SEC extended the life of shelf registrations from two years to three years in 2005, which shows how long I've been around, LOL.
“The efficient-market hypothesis may be the foremost piece of B.S. ever promulgated in any area of human knowledge!”