Am I the only one who survived Merge Day unscathed?
Hard to believe we're approaching almost a month since Marriott rolled out the currently unnamed, combined loyalty program. From the sound of gnashing teeth, it appears just about everyone suffered catastrophic damage to their accounts that still hasn't been repaired. At least that's the impression I'm getting as I read all the comments over the past few weeks. I can't be the only one who experienced virtually no problems.
Not having any stays during the worst of the the IT glitches probably saved me from the types of problems others have faced. Everything that needed to post before the merger was already in place by August 17, and with the exception of the CC points, nothing needed to post until the beginning of September. I was mistakenly granted PP + Ambassador status for a few days, but that's about the extent of my issues.
I'm curious if anyone else made it through relatively unscathed. Based on the number of posts regarding missing points, missing stays, incorrect status, incorrect LT status, and a host of other things, I'm beginning to wonder if most folks experienced substantial glitches, some of which still need to be resolved. If that's the case, I was incredibly lucky.
I think you are in the select few group. I had a SPG stay with checkout on 18th and the stay is not yet posted. I see that the nights have posted but dont know if the points have posted or not. Need to contact SPG but want to wait for a few days as the mayhem might not be over yet.
2 stays after the merger both MR have posted correctly with no issues.
Maybe I'm another lucky one; everything in my account seems to have merged with no issues I could see at all.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one. With all the issues, I was beginning to wonder.
Yeah it was a relatively very smooth transition for me - pretty seamless. I, in fact, stayed in the midst of the transition (actually starting 20th Aug) at 4 different Marriott properties across 3 cities over a week. I had great experince at all the properties - acknowledgement of elite status, early check-in, late check out, ugrades, lounge access, points / stay posting and the usual Marriott experience that we all have known to and appreciate much.
The merging of the accounts was quick and easy. And now I am on my way to hopefully LTP under the new programme - need 13 LT nights and 1 year of platinum - which I aim to achieve by the year end.
Usually, those who have issues would bother to post the complaints / issues. Those with seamless experience are less likely to post positive experience in such situations either due to fear of alienating those suffering from issues or generally not bothering to post.
My main problem is lack of clarity / clarifications from Marriott that leaves the Rewards members wondering and speculating. e.g. the rewards events and 10 nights credits - just as an example. Why don't they communicate that clearly what's the true intent of the new changes and rather leave it open to interpretation.
I was one of those who didn't want to post so as not to upset those experiencing difficulties. I figured by this point it might be safe to come out of hiding.
I'm very happy for those of you who made it through unscathed and it is good to hear that not everyone had problems. I was just wondering where the people who gave the merger high scores for success on the earlier poll were hiding. Now I guess we know where.
I merged my accounts rather early and went through a few days of incorrect status, incorrect lifetime status, missing post-merger stays, missing $$$ spent from my 2 or 3 Starwood stays this year, etc.
But all of these things were resolved (without any action from my side) rather quickly.
So overall, I'm a happy person.
No damage to either the accounts of my Wife or myself, all is currently (knocking on wood with that statement). I even combined my small amount of SPG points to Marriott Rewards and it went through without a glitch. Guess I should be buying ocean front property in Utah.
Glad you escaped.... bet its your legal background................!
Not sure what the secret was. I suspect the timing of my recent trips was the major factor. Had I been on the road during the last half of August, I would have likely been slammed as bad as everyone else. As far as I can tell, that seems to be the major difference between those who suffered and those who escaped.
Whether my Hawaiian shirts had anything to do with it or not is hard to say. For now, I'm chalking it up to my excellent timing of being home when Marriott IT exploded. Yeah, that's the ticket. It was all me. Luck had nothing to do with it.
As I said I travelled through the thick of actual merger (actually I had planned the travel assuming the original merger date of 1st Aug but then it got changed to 18th). Overall I had great time. I did not even notice that the merger activities were in progress - it was that seamless. I know a few of my colleagues / friends who enjoyed similar good experience. I do feel for those who suffered but it seems for many it has been a smooth experience. Not sure in % terms how many actually had issues v/s the total number of members.
I am glad that some got through this without having to give up a bunch of trust in the system. For this usual Marriott Kool-Aid drinker, the Kool-Aid was well beyond the best before date.
I would say though that the experience at the hotels was good. Hotel management did a good job of managing the change. Headquarters poor.
So far nothing major for me. I am still unable to select my Suite Nights but I'm gonna hold off hoping the issue will correct itself.
I did have one issue end of August where I called to add a name to a reservation. Had 3 rooms and wanted to add a name to the other two. Big mistake. They added the name but took me off entirely so it was no longer visible in my account. Tried calling and spent over an hour with not much result. They said they added it and would email the hotel but I had doubts.
Gave it time and just called about an hour ago. Suspicions correct they had not done anything last time. They tried again and pretty much same result however this time they removed the guest name and put me back in.
Hung up and then took things into my own hands. Went to spg and entered conf # as well as my name. It pulled up. I went to modify reservation and there's an area where I can put member number. Entered my marriott # and it took, got all excited and then got the dreaded error page!
Decided to try one last time but this time I entered my old spg number as I noticed that the one remaining reservation I could see still had that on it. Sure enough it took!. Did the same for the third reservation and now all 3 are visible under my Marriott account reservations!
I didn't experience any problems either. I have merged my SPG and Marriott accounts and that went smoothly as well.
I think I have seen one person post about this, but......I can't see lifetime years at Platinum for SPG. I know I have at least three that I was Platinum because I was Marriott Platinum, but in those years I only stayed once or twice. Do those years count as lifetime Platinum at SPG? I'm looking for anybody in my situation that has combined accounts seeing this. I have eight Marriott years and 800 plus nights, if my SPG years count then I'm PP lifetime, if not...…..I could probably work in 25 stays this year to qualify for SPG Platinum, I've already qualified Marriott Premier Platinum this year. Thank you.
I am totally confused by this sentence. Are you asking if your 3 spg platinum years can be combined with your 8 marriott platinum years to get you over 10? If so then yes. Did you have 25 stays or 50 nights at SPG properties only to earn that spg status during those spg years? If so then yes.
From the sound of your question though I think you mean that while Marriott Platinum you had 1 or 2 nights at an SPG property and are inquiring if those stay years meant you were SPG platinum as well. If that's the question then the answer is no. Your were not Platinum in both programs and therefore it does not count.
I have shown Platinum on the SPG website, have been welcomed as a Platinum and received Platinum benefits for the last three years anytime I've been on the website or stayed at a SPG property. For the last three years if you are Platinum Marriott you are Platinum SPG.
Yikes I thought it's only been like a year since the merge. I can't believe its been 3....time flies!
Anyways no your gifted platinum status years at spg do not count toward the total. They don't allow double dipping like that. SPG platinum years would need to be earned to be counted towards the total.
Thanks for the replies. Do you happen to have a link to something that says that?
I can't remember which thread it was, but I did see one guy who is in the same position I am post that he got the SPG years, and I think he said that he hadn't stayed there at all.
I'm looking at hotel reservations for this week, if I can find two SPG's near where I'll be I'll check in and out each day, one to the other. If I have to. I tried to call. but was on hold forever.
MY SPG gifted lifetime status counted, and I never stayed there a day. All Marriott did was combine the lifetime status numbers between the programs.
You're who I remembered seeing the post from.
Another trouble with "undoing" it is if I have SPG years showing then I'm changing my strategy, not checking in an out of two hotels in one city. I would have a problem if they then said "Oops" later on, because I can't undo the strategy.
I kind of don't think they keep track of how you became Platinum, I know I bought at least one year at Marriott, maybe two, I was short and you could do that at the time and they counted.
I vaguely remember reading that post and figured it was either a glitch or because they got Platinum SPG another way and not based on Marriott status.
Marriott never intended to basically gift you 3 years of Platinum due to the status match. That would mean 10 years really means only 7 provided you linked accounts back then. If it's being counted now its a glitch and I wouldn't count on that lasting.
You have to understand the effort that it takes to undo everything. Doing what you suggest would mean, that not only are you taking away status years, but you could also could be reducing a person's status level, and if that status resulted in a person having a higher multiplier, 75% instead of 50% bonuses, then you would have to go after the extra points as well, what if they used those points already, are they going to be negative? Then you have to deal with the aftermath, all the calls and all the emails. I'd be very surprised if they did this, I just don't see any benefit to Marriott.
Marriott CAN downgrade the status without taking away the points. But WILL they downgrade "over-awarded" status? Will they take away over-awarded points or years tenured? It's within their rights to do so if they perform audits.
Customers should also have a general idea of the proper amount of years they should have been credited, and if they take advantage, be prepared for possible ramifications/corrections. But first, we have to see if Marriott even catches this error for the affected accounts, then how they intend to treat those accounts.
Ive seen people go into negative mileage balances at the Airlines because they "spent" miles they weren't entitled to spend.
The benefit to Marriott is enormous. They's be eliminating everyone at 7, 8 and 9 years of status from being granted lifetime. So how many tens of thousands of people is that multiplied by a "lifetime" of benefits being doled out. I'd say Marriott will not let this one just slide under the radar. Now as to the the points being awarded they are minimal and Marriott will more than likely not try and go after these.
I think everyone would agree that accounts should be technically accurate. That would benefit everyone involved not just partial stakeholders.
Not really true. There is no difference in benefits between a Platinum member and a LTP member, a person that gains LTP a year early, may not have any points earning difference, so why bother with going through all of this. You don't save any money from people that will already be platinum. There may be some accounts of people that have 750 nights, and would have less than 10 years, but there are also accounts that people used the points loophole to get to 2 million points, and those people are already LTPP. Do you think Marriott is going to take away their points? I doubt it. They have more important stuff to do.
Agree to disagree. I will not support anyone who gets lifetime via a double dip strategy. Sorry it's not ok in my book. Those were free years gifted and not earned years.
You have to draw a line somewhere and they did (or will). I'm showing around 2400 marriott nights (yes I realize not entirely accurate due to rollover) , 275 spg nights and almost 4 million marriott points at last check. Are they going to create some uber status for those at higher levels like myself. No of course not. They set the limit. They made a one time exception to allow peoples combined years and nights to count.
I know I have a good chunk under the 2700 nights my account shows (mostly due to the rollover bug) but still probably over 2000 paid nights.
Personally, I came out unscathed too. All my information is present and correct, though I've had some wonkiness in regards to my activity (Marriott only) and I had to do a workaround to access the My Choice Benefit. However, I'm still unable to make and modify Starwood reservations online. Thankfully, though, the Marriott, Starwood, and Ritz apps do provide full functionality, though existing reservations tend to disappear and reappear at random.
I had no problems to speak of. I had one stay just before the transition that I had to file a missing points requests from on, but they were quickly fixed. So consider myself lucky. Just merged my accounts with good results. I will post that separately.
My annual status showed incorrectly at first (lifetime status always showed correctly), but I merged my accounts 3 days after M-Day, and everything seemed fairly rosy regarding my annual status just 5 days after M-Day.
My first 2 stays post-merge were phenomenal, suite upgrades, points posted quickly but not accurately, nights posted correctly (which I don't care about). It took a 38 minute phone call to rectify the points.
There's still minor glitchy-ness when displaying my combined reservations list. I can usually view my whole list accurately, with property names & dates, but sometimes it only shows only the legacy-Marriott or only the legacy-SPG reservations until I refresh, and sometimes the "My Trips" indicator at the top shows an erroneous number of upcoming bookings!
Not unscathed, not at all.
I'd booked a break in Brussels via Eurostar long before the 18 August was fixed as M-day, but was dismayed when I found I'd be both checking out of one hotel and into another on that precise day. In fact, that went very well. Alas that was about all.
1. August AMEX points didn't clear - and still haven't, neither has September, due yesterday!
I finally called the Plat line last week and was advised that no British AMEX points or EQNs were crediting during Aug or to mid September, and maybe later. The rest were resolved but that led my totals to go up and down in a mysterious dance of added points and nights which were then deducted and then recredited.
All-in-all a confusing mess but one that finally was sorted out, assuming the AMEX points and EQNs clear later this month. To be honest it's been irritating, experience with Marriott shows it always gets sorted, but I can't help but think that they had 2 years to get this sorted, yet it seemed a last minute botched rush which seems so unnecessary, more time could have been taken to be better prepared. For Marriotts faithful like me with LTPP it doesn't change my decisions, but those dipping their toes into Marriott over the last month or so, this would have been severely off-putting.
Hard to know which situation was the "typical" one. Maybe none were. I knew many Insiders faced problems. All one had to do was log into this site during the week after the merge to see that. What I didn't see were many comments indicating things went smoothly. I knew I couldn't be the only one, but I was beginning to feel that way, hence this discussion. More of a sanity check than anything else (i.e. I'm not crazy am I?).
What we need now is the "fall Megabonus to end all Megabonus's's's's"
With no skin in the game any longer, unscathed here. It's still a painful performance to watch however. Shame shame Marriott, everyone knows your name.
No issues encountered on my account and I don't believe there were too many issues encountered in the 4 Billion records converted/migrated in the process.
"I don't believe there were too many issues encountered in the 4 Billion records converted/migrated in the process".
Man global, I sure hope Marriott doesn't ask you about benefits for Lifetimers - whew, so much for empathy.
One half of one percent may sometimes be regarded as 'immaterial' in a deal or transaction costs, but in four billion, that's twenty million potential headaches, many of them significant (especially to the affected).
You don't want wannabetitanium bringing out the Kool Aid (which btw wannabe - I took it that you were kidding in reference to the original kool-aider, so jump back in, we need your insights). Even if one argues the integration was much ado about nothing (which I don't) there was substantial angst created, some with better communication, could have been avoided.
erc, I'm used to working in these dirty data integration (ETL) processes. Nothing is perfect and there is no way to please everyone so you just do what you can with the tools you have available. Everyone thinks their problem is the most critical and needs to be of the highest priority. Join the club.
Most complaints logged here on Insiders involve account status, transaction history, points conversions, lack of communications, and timeliness of corrections. All common issues in any customer data migration project...... not shocking at all.
In the meantime, customers keep making reservations, earning points, planning business trips, and enjoying vacations with friends and family. Life is good, make the best of it while you can.
No issues. Also happens I had no SPG points/nights to merge.
The only thing was my stay over the merge week took some time to post, but it did.
Two pre-merge stays from August 13 and 14 didn't post until after filling in a missing stay request. I was missing some plat arrival gift points, but that could've been the fault of the hotel and not related to the merge.
Nothing but problems, still unresolved. I wish SPG or Marriot would correct this. I'm left with 2750 pts. Not the 86,000 x 3pts. I asked last time for a ticket to be opened on my acct.
My wife's account whent over without a hitch. I still can't book my next getaway.
The most dissapointing thing to me about the merger is not the tech issues but the customer service failure. I've found the customer service to be brutally bad to virtually non existent. Most work days I don't have time to sit on hold forever so I have been sending in emails. In 3 weeks I have sent 3 emails and have yet to get a single response. I am not expecting a same day response during what was certainly a busy merger time for them but 3 emails in 3 weeks and no response? This was regarding seperate issues.
I was also a victim of the didn't order certificate ordeal and had a reservation jump by 88,000pts or something dumb like that. I didnt have time to mess with it and CS wouldnt respond so I just cancelled it and rebooked and used a cash option to upgrade so it took the same amount of points but cost me $$. I see they later put out a statement saying those reservations would be honored but seems like people are jumping through hoops to make it happen and I dont have the patience for that, awards rooms were dwindling down fast so I just took the hit... easy come easy go etc.
I think I am ok, no major problems really My issues really are that of perception. The little missing points here and there happened before the merger and I am sure they will happen long after the merger as well. Some of them are correcting after a couple of weeks from the time I submitted help request. Just had welcome gift points post from a pre-merger stay in Paris in early August. I had pretty much written that one off, but was pleasantly surprised. I really didn't have any status/points/nights in SPG, so combining points was a non-issue. All of my stress has been trying to make sure I qualify as LTP in the old or new system. As most of you are painfully aware, I am close in both programs....any day now!
Did you August 12 check out include your welcome gift points? My August 17 and 18 check-outs still don't have welcome points. They do have everything else. I had to enlist the help of the community managers to get my welcome points from my 8/9 and 8/10 check outs. I guess it is time to get help on the Aug 17 & 18 ones. I was trying to give Marriott some time to straighten things out, but who knows.
What I find so odd is the variety and inconsistency of the problems. I would think that people in the same situations should be having the same results, but they aren't.
Even though we still want to whine about our pains, we are still happy for you and don't begrudge yours and the other lucky folks' success.
Yes, my welcome points were there for my last 2 stays before the merge. I had two earlier stays (one in July, the other in August) where those points were missing, but since then, everything has posted correctly including the additional points.
Missing welcome points has been an on and off problem for as long as I can remember, so I don't attribute that to the other issues surrounding the combined loyalty program roll out.
For me, it was just my paranoia.
I merged early, I had a finger on the pulse the whole 72h and noticed the errors resolve themselves.
It was relatively painless. It was mainly the stays that posted late and partially invisibly, which got resolved last Friday or so.
So, I can't say that I suffered hugely. Just running after explanations for calculating points for a stay that was "stayed" before the merged, but posted after. A correcting some missing bonus points that are missing.
In the mean while, confusion continues to reign at the customer service.
But, my stays continue to work out. I can't say I "suffered".
I for one am very pleased with the outcome. I have been a member for 28 years. I was given lifetime platinum on the basis of stays and #of years platinum. I am now retired but I have spent approximately 3 years of my life sleeping in Marriott beds.
Stay during merger took a couple extra days to post, but everything else is looking good so far!!!
Hmmm. Sounds like in combining them they just added a day to the one and forgot to cancel the other? I've got a similar situation only in reverse. I booked 2 rooms for one night at airport hotel next month. They split the reservations (I really hate how that automatically happens) and created a new conf # for the other room. However now my account shows 3 reservations. The original, the second when they split and also the real original again with 2 rooms. I honestly don't know what to do. I don't want to call and have them tinker as it's a great LNF rate. Planning on just letting it ride and talking with front desk at check in to see what their screen shows and try to avoid a no show charge like yourself.
I think I must be the only one (jinx) who hasn't had a drop call yet! Although I've really limited said phone calls. Looking forward to the day when they have a system that recognizes my phone number for once!
Funny that you said that you wanted a system that recognized us. When I called a few days ago, the system DID recognize me, and even asked if my name was ..xxxx...so I was impressed!
Which number are you calling? Plat (800) PP (877) or PP Guest Services (866) ?
I've never understood why in the past it would take damn near 60 seconds of recorded garbage before I could enter my account number!
Ok so that's the rewards line. Still no recognition for me just a delightful 45 second intro!
I had both numbers listed. I just changed my home to my cell so the cell is listed twice now. Will wait 24 hours and see if that helps.
There is a box that can be checked that says "remember me" but every time I check the box the next time I go back it's unchecked again. Maybe that's the issue?
@platlife do you have your cell number in you account profile ?
I know that AA ties my account number to my cell and tells me hi nipper when I call in.
Though I tried it and it gave me a 60 second commercial with no personalization .
nipper, the first time I called AA and they greeted me by name was sooooooooooo creepy. I was like, "How did you know who I am?" I was scared and angry; it had never happened before. LoL! Now Chase does it too! It has taken some getting used to.
Actually no, their explanation doesn't make 'complete' sense, because I actually got the automated bill overnight for the 1st night separately, which shows a charge. However, the charge I actually received doesn't match this charge (the 'no show' charge should have been the same as a regular day charge because the rates for each day were the same). Then upon checkout got the multi-day bill, which shows the total charge, and the charge I received for the total bill does match this bill. I've had reservations like this combined in the past (pre 8/18) and it was never a problem - front desk person handled it similar to anyone else that's ever done it, so maybe the process in the 'new system' has changed slightly and it was actually done 'incorrectly' - who knows???!?!?!?
Currently in the midst of a 3 night stay. Got email this afternoon with receipt from Marriott thanking me for my stay. Talked with front desk and I guess this morning they accidentally checked me out when I asked for new room key. Said I would still get receipt for all 3 nights at checkout.
Really hoping I don't have another adventure in dealing with expenses/concur due to this. REALLY not looking forward to calling the rewards department next week when the incorrect amount of points/nights post due to this. Anytime I've ever added a day to a stay things don't post correctly so fairly confident the same will happen here!
For o0o0o0o0o0o...points! and others who have not combined their accounts yet, what is the reasoning behind that decision? I mean, it is too late for me now but I am curious as to why you are waiting. Is there a benefit? My uncle has not yet combined his accounts because he hates using the internet but before I do it for him, should I (he) wait for some reason?
Also, o0o0o0o0o0o...points! , you mentioned that you can't use your pre-8/18 free night certificate(s). Are you able to see them on your account? Because I can see the one I have sitting there but I have not yet attempted to use it. Unlike pre-8/18, it no longer says it can be used for a Category 1-5 property, it now says that it can be used for a property up to 25K points.
Even better: they all got extended by anther year! Even the one that was already expired, but got back into my account by some serious juggling.
Yeah I did a little fancy footwork to get one extended as well!
No reason to do so - doesn't benefit me in any way as I don't need the status now, or the points now either. Also wanted to wait for all the reasons that members have complained to all but completely go away and let other (possibly antsy) members (and not me) experience all the issues. I wouldn't combine at all, but I don't want the new SPG number to take over as the primary member number automatically next year, so I will eventually combine myself to ensure that doesn't happen.
Yes, I can see all certs, pre & post 8/18.
To answer your "is there a benefit to not combining" question? Possibly, if you don't want to go through a bunch of **** if things are screwed up.
Major problems for me on both accounts. After several long and tedious calls my SPG account is now fully functioning and correct. My Marriott account is a disaster area in a number of ways but I do not intend putting any of my time into correcting it as all of my upcoming stays are at legacy SPG properties and I won't book a Marriott stay or combine my accounts till they have sorted out the problems or they merge the accounts after the end of the year.
I just called from my home phone and got the commercial with no personalized welcome.
"Hi IAHFLYR , welcome back to Marriott Rewards".
Both home and cell numbers are in my rewards account so my guess is I've never called that number from the home phone so it doesn't recognized it. I know United has both my home and cell numbers showing up and I get a personalized greeting when I call them as well as I get the same type of greeting when calling American.
My cell is listed as my primary number, perhaps calling from the primary is key!
Nah, our home phone is the primary number so don't think that is the key, at least in my world.
Sort of along these lines (and sorry if it is not sufficiently related), is anyone able to update the phone number on your profile without an error message? I have been seeing a notification that I need to confirm my phone number, and several times have gotten to the confirmation code stage where I enter the code they are asking for, and then get the error message either that my country code is incorrect (someone posted about bypassing that in another thread but I can't get past it) or a general error that I should try again later.
Just make sure all phone numbers are filled in (even if you just have cell number, put that in the spaces for the other phone numbers). That should make the error message go away (at least it did for me).
For a couple of thousand missing amenity points I'd rather just send something in writing, and if takes a while to post that's fine; better than waiting for a phone rep who'd have to look up each separately, possibly getting stymied by the fact that there were SPG stays under the old rules in two cases!
I came away relatively unscathed as well, at least as far as I have noticed. I was on vacation at the MVC in St. Thomas when "M-Day" occurred. I combined my accounts a few days after returning (approximately 8/28 or 8/29) without any issues. Doing so, upped me from Gold to Platinum for the first time, so I was very happy about that. All my pre and post activity with both SPG and Marriott seems to be visible when I look at my account, including the 1:3 SPG:Marriott transfer/conversion of points. My first post-M-Day-stay was September 1-3 at an SPG property in Palm Springs. I had no issues checking in or checking out and the stay and points posted on September 6th. I guess I'm lucky (though I am still knocking on the proverbial wood). I am sorry to hear about all the issues people all over seem to keep having, though; I just can't relate.
bejacob - I had a very smooth transition - not a single issue - status correct, points, nights, lifetime points, LT nights, etc.
But then again, I have had no stays since TIPPLE2 (and that was on points), nothing reserved, had already moved/converted SPG points to MR last year, etc. and I have not tried to merge the accounts as I do not really need the 450 SPG nights to reach LTPPE. My ONLY issue was I could not log into MRI for about 12-24 hours. Am I lucky or just inactive?
Actually now that you mention it, my luck may have been due to inactivity during the worst of the problems. All prior activity posted before M-day and I had no subsequent activity until after the majority of issues we resolved.
You may have hit on the secret of avoiding the crazy Marriott IT issues. Just avoid Marriott. Not sure that approach would work for everyone.
At this point, things seem to be back to normal just in time for the MegaBonus to get messed up. Same as it ever was. Here's to hoping that doesn't happen.
Lol bejacob, yes it is kind a like a black bear emerging from its den in late March, stretching and looking around at all the green and saying "Winter, there is no winter".
Other than the mythical Ambassador status for 2 days before being taken away (which there was no explanation of and I finally got a call from someone pretty senior in Salt Lake City last week), I thought I had survived unscathed.
1. Now I cannot sign up to the Fall 2018 megabonus - nothing appearing in my account - no promotions at all!!!!
It seems like most of the missing points seem to be obvious, like a big 0 in the bonus section that usually includes the sign-in bonus or the going green points which are also bonuses and easily divisible by the number promised. I don't think I've ever done the math to see that the x points per dollar worked out correctly, except for the 3 months this year where I was racing to Platinum.
For signing in have you tried using your member number instead of your user name.
I was setting up a new phone over the weekend and could get the app to accept my user name, when I switch to log in user member number, it worked right away.
Also does your member number happen to begin with a 0?
Well I am still missing a stay from Oklahoma City Renaissance Downtown from September 4th - 7th. Waited the 10 days and still get "We are experiencing..............yeah, yeah, yeah". Everything else went very smoothly and I actually love the new program. One more year for LTPP!!!
You mean less than 4 months for LTPP??? You know if you don't meet the criteria in 2018 that you cannot get to LTPP - EVER again? The highest you can achieve is LTP (unless Marriott changes the rules down the road in a few years or so).
So far, so good for me. I am Lifetime PP. Since Aug 18, I have stayed at 3 different properties. Residence Inn, Sept 6, one night at Marriott. Sept 13, and 2 night stay this past Sept 21-23 weekend at Sheraton. On all 3, I received the correct points, the 75% bonus, and the correct number of Welcome gift points per brand. All posted within 48 hours of check-out. FYI, the Sheraton reservation was made prior to Aug 18 and therefore had on it my prior SPG number. When I merged accounts, I kept my Rewards number, not my SPG number. Thank goodness I saw this prior to checkout, and changed it to my Rewards number, hoping that my points would post correctly. They did! Additionally, I had a Fairfield stay that ended on Aug 18. Although posted much later than usual, it posted within 2 weeks of merger and it was correct, including the 75% bonus. Hoping everyone's accounts get straightened out.
Quite annoyed as my account issues are still unresolved. I merged my SPG and Marriott accounts, and my total SPG Elite Accruals, LT stays and stays for this year was completely wiped out. Already messaged CS for help , and 1 month in, still no response and nothing has been done.
Our merge was seamless! So happy.
I haven't had any major issues - just a few glitches on the webside. Just completed a stay with no problems at all - we'll see when the points post, etc.!
I have been chatting with a variety of Marriott clients; occasionals, event planners, diehards, and frequent enough to earn Platinum due to heavy travel, but too busy (young) to have learned the ropes. What I have discovered (again, anecdotal, but after awhile a picture does seem to form) is that there truly appears to be a somewhat chaotic situation out there and those of us not extremely inconvenienced (most all of us have had a taste of the mess) are pretty fortunate.
"I actually have seen variability by user. I handle the travel bookings for my office, so I'm managing multiple accounts. and yes, I've seen it where the Marriott.com site (and even SPG.com site) behave differently for different users. Even the posting of points for the exact same dates at the exact same hotel have posted at different times, sometimes not even posted for different users.
I had issues with booking hotels many times this year before before 8/18 (Never Forget™) and have had them since then. I have multiple computers in my office, each running on different OSs (Win/OSX/Linux) and still experience problems".
And second, one of my millennial colleagues told me to take a glance at Marriott Rewards on Facebook - holy cow!
It is a virtual non-stop complaint engine (click on the View Comments), Marriott posts a PR/Ad photo with caption and pow! (did I just watch a sixties Batman TV show? ) complaint after complaint about what's going on. What adds to the drama is an almost complete absence of a Marriott response.
Now remember, Facebook used to be where a complaint about a dirty towel got immediate response and sympathy from the Marriott Social Media team. Marriott's Facebook response team seems to be turning into the FlyerTalk reaction after the BOGO (we're going to return it, coming soon, really we're bringing it back......silence).
I'm not totally opposed to Marriott losing some market share and having to compete once more for occupancy....aah, it is to dream. Well, fascinating times to say the least - those of you in the b.e. camp of good fortune (and apparently, it's all relative) thank your lucky stars and an empathetic good luck to the rest of you.
Keep on keepin' on Insiders, at least we have each other and a bit of information .
Well done my "brother from another mother"!
It still just reminds me of a very unprofessional operation and plenty of "Blutarsky" GPA's running the operation.


text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
Index Fungorum

#### Published in
Svensk bot. Tidskr. 69(2): 147 (1975)

#### Original name
Metasphaeria cassiopes Rostr.

### Remarks
null

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Революционные военно-воздушные силы и противовоздушная оборона Кубы (; DAAFAR) — один из видов Вооружённых сил Кубы.

История
Начало кубинской военной авиации было положено в марте 1915 года, когда в составе армии был создан авиационный корпус (FAEC).

В 1917 году первая группа кубинских лётчиков была отправлена в США для обучения в авиацентре «Kelly Field» (Сан-Антонио, США), недалеко от Гаваны — началось строительство аэродрома, а из США были получены первые самолёты — четыре учебно-тренировочных Curtiss-JN-4D.

В 1923 году для ВВС в США были куплены первые боевые самолёты: четыре разведчика Vought UO-2 и шесть разведчиков-бомбардировщиков DH.4B.

В 1924 году общая численность военно-воздушных сил Кубы составляла 18 офицеров и 98 нижних чинов.

В 1926 году большая часть аэропланов была уничтожена тропическим ураганом.

В результате реформы военно-воздушных сил 1933—1934 гг., в 1934 году была создана «авиация военно-морских сил» (Fuerza Aérea Naval, FAN)

В целом, в 1920-е-1930-е годы ВВС состояли из небольшого количества боевых, учебно-тренировочных и транспортных самолётов американского производства.

После начала Второй Мировой войны началось увеличение военных расходов на авиацию, в 1941 году была создана Национальная авиационная академия
 уроженец Кубы Бернард Баркер во время войны служил в корпусе армейской авиации США (но после войны он был зачислен в гаванскую полицию)

В 1941—1945 годы военно-воздушные силы Кубы были усилены дополнительными поставками авиатехники из США (всего в 1942—1945 гг. по программе ленд-лиза было получено 45 самолётов).

В 1947 году военно-воздушные силы Кубы насчитывали 750 человек и 55 самолётов.

В период после подписания в 1947 году в Рио-де Жанейро Межамериканского договора о взаимной помощи, военно-воздушные силы Кубы получали американскую авиатехнику, боеприпасы, вооружение и запасные части в соответствии с договором о военном сотрудничестве.

В 1952 году при заходе на посадку на аэродром в военном городке Колумбия разбился и сгорел истребитель F-47 (погиб пилот Перес Пилото).

В конце 1952 года на Кубе была открыта постоянная военная миссия ВВС США, в начале 1953 года по программе военной помощи для обучения на пилотов реактивных истребителей в США были направлены 12 кубинских пилотов (их обучение было завершено 31 августа 1954 года).

В 1954 году при заходе на посадку на аэродром в военном городке Колумбия в условиях шквального ветра разбился и сгорел истребитель F-47 (пилот Альварес Кортина был госпитализирован в тяжёлом состоянии).

В 1955 году военно-воздушные силы Кубы насчитывали 2000 человек личного состава. В этом же году на вооружение поступили первые реактивные самолёты — четыре T-33A (всего по программе военной помощи из США было получено восемь Т-33).

В 1955 году морская авиация была включена в состав ВВС.

Также, в течение 1955 года были потеряны ещё два истребителя: при взлёте с аэродрома Колумбия разбился и сгорел F-47 (пилот Альваро Прендес не пострадал), несколько позднее во время военного парада задымился и упал в море ещё один F-47 (пилот лейтенант Сингаго погиб).

В апреле 1957 года в Великобритании для ВВС были закуплены первые вертолёты — два «Westland Whirlwind»

По состоянию на октябрь 1958 года, на вооружении армии Кубы имелась следующая военная техника:
 самолёты: 8 реактивных учебно-тренировочных самолётов T-33; 15 бомбардировщиков B-26; 15 истребителей F-47D «тандерболт»; два самолёта De Havilland L-20 «Beaver»; 8 шт. T-6 «тексан»; 8 самолётов AT-6C «Harvard»; 10 транспортных самолётов C-47; один Douglas C-53; 5 шт. лёгких «пайпер» PA-18; 5 шт. Piper PA-20 «Pacer»; 4 шт. Piper PA-22 «Tri-Pacer» и один Piper PA-23 «Apache».
 вертолёты: шесть вертолётов различных типов.

Хотя основу авиапарка военно-воздушных сил Ф. Батисты составляли самолёты американского производства, ещё 17 поршневых истребителей «Hawker Sea Fury» были получены в ноябре 1958 года из Великобритании (из них, по состоянию на 1 января 1959 года, 15 оставались в строю и перешли в состав революционных ВВС правительства Ф. Кастро).

После победы в 1959 году кубинской революции США прекратили военно-техническое сотрудничество с новым правительством, в результате в этот период ВВС испытывали острый дефицит подготовленного личного состава (пилотов и авиатехников, поскольку часть офицеров и технических специалистов покинули страну), оборудования и запасных частей.

К началу операции в заливе Свиней в составе ВВС Кубы насчитывалось всего 24 исправных боевых самолёта (15 бомбардировщиков B-26, 6 поршневых истребителей «Sea Fury» и 3 реактивных учебно-тренировочных самолёта T-33).
 около 3 часов утра 15 апреля 1961 года один из самолётов T-33, который пилотировал лейтенант Акоста (Orestes Acosta) во время совершения разведывательного вылета рухнул в море в районе Баракоа (пилот погиб, посмертно ему было присвоено звание капитана).
 утром 15 апреля 1961 года несколько самолётов военно-воздушных сил и гражданской авиации были уничтожены или получили повреждения в результате бомбардировки трёх кубинских аэродромов бомбардировщиками B-26B т. н. «военно-воздушных сил кубинского экспедиционного корпуса» кубинских эмигрантов-«гусанос».

17-19 апреля 1961 года кубинские ВВС приняли активное участие в отражении вторжения военизированных формирований эмигрантов, подготовленных американским правительством и ЦРУ США. Во время боёв в заливе Свиней пилоты ВВС Кубы вели авиаразведку, осуществляли целеуказание для артиллерии и координацию действий наземных сил, сбили шесть бомбардировщиков B-26, потопили и серьёзно повредили четыре транспортных корабля типа «Либерти», наносили штурмовые и бомбовые удары по позициям войск противника.
 в ходе боевых действий ВВС Кубы потеряли несколько самолётов.

16 апреля 1961 года, во время боёв в заливе Свиней, Ф. Кастро впервые сделал заявление о социалистическом характере кубинской революции, в дальнейшем Куба примкнула к социалистическому лагерю и начала перевооружать свои военно-воздушные силы при помощи СССР.

В мае 1961 года из СССР были получены 24 «бывших в эксплуатации» истребителей МиГ-15бис, позднее были получены разведчики МиГ-15Рбис и учебно-тренировочные МиГ-15УТИ.

24 июня 1961 года кубинский пилот Хирон Энрике Каррерас выполнил первый самостоятельный полёт на реактивном истребителе МиГ-15бис.

В ноябре 1961 года были получены восемь МиГ-19 (однако уже в 1966 году все они были сняты с вооружения).

В марте 1962 года в составе кубинских ВВС была сформирована первая истребительная авиаэскадрилья на МиГ-15бис, в мае 1962 года — вторая авиаэскадрилья на МиГ-15бис.

В июле 1962 года на Кубу прибыли 40 истребителей МиГ-21-Ф-13 из состава 32-го гвардейского истребительного авиаполка ВВС СССР, которые были переданы кубинской стороне в августе 1963 года.

В 1964 году началась замена МиГ-15бис на истребители МиГ-17 и МиГ-17Ф советского и чехословацкого производства (которые оставались на вооружении до 1980-х годов).

В сентябре 1978 года на Кубу начали поступать МиГ-23. Всего в 1978—1981 годах получено 40 МиГ-23БН, 12 МиГ-23МФ, 54 МиГ-23МЛ и 4 МиГ-23УБ.

В 1970—1980-е годы ВВС Кубы участвовали в боевых действиях в Эфиопии и Анголе.

В 1985 году США возобновили полёты самолётов-шпионов над Кубой, в 1986 году полёты самолётов-шпионов были продолжены.

Организационная структура
В задачи DAAFAR входит защита воздушного пространства Кубы, обеспечение тактической и транспортной поддержки Революционной армии и флота, и при необходимости, выполнение задач обслуживания народного хозяйства. В состав ВВС и ПВО входят 2 смешанных истребительно-бомбардировочных соединения, одно транспортное и одно транспортное для обслуживания руководства. По состоянию на 2008 год воздушное пространство Кубы разделено на два округа: западный и восточный, соответствующие штабы расположены в городах Сан-Антонио-де-лос-Баньос (San Antonio de los Baños) и Ольгин (Holguin).
Западный округ прикрывается 2-й бригадой ВВС и ПВО в состав которой входит 1779-е соединение, располагающее смешанной истребительной авиаэскадрильей из 3 оставшихся в строю МиГ-29 и до 10 МиГ-23МЛ. Для решения вспомогательных задач ПВО, например для перехвата медленных низколетящих целей привлекаются три-четыре L-39C, в обычной обстановке они используются в качестве учебно-тренировочных. Для обеспечения базовой подготовки пилотов используются учебно-тренировочные Zlin Z-142.
Восточный округ прикрывается бригадой Cuartel Moncada Guard Brigade. В её состав также входит 1779-е соединение в Ольгине. Задачи ПВО в округе решают несколько истребителей МиГ-21. В округе размещено 3405-е особое транспортное соединение, в задачи которого входит обслуживание руководства государства и 3688-е транспортное соединение, самолёты и вертолёты обоих действуют из Плайа Баракоа (Playa Baracoa).

Пункты базирования
Кубинскими силами ВВС и ПВО используются следующие авиабазы (по состоянию на 2006 год):

Holguin / Base Area Holguin / Frank Pais AP (ICAO code: MUHG)

ВПП: Rwy 05/23, Размер ВПП: 3238 м (10624 ft) x 45 м (148 ft), Возвышение: 110 м (361 ft).

La Habana / Base Area Playa Baracoa (ICAO code: MUPB)

ВПП: Rwy 02/20, Размер ВПП: 2305 м (7563 ft) x 45 м (148 ft), Возвышение: 31 м (102 ft)

Base Area San Antonio de los Baños (ICAO code: MUSA)

ВПП: Rwy 01/19, Размер ВПП: 2400 м (7873 ft) x 46 м (150 ft), Возвышение: 50 м (164 ft).

ВПП: Rwy 05/23, Размер ВПП: 3596 м (11799 ft) x 46 м (150 ft), Возвышение: 50 м (164 ft).

ВПП: Rwy 12/30, Размер ВПП: 2482 м (8144 ft) x 46 м (150 ft), Возвышение: 50 м (164 ft).

Боевой состав
Относительно боевого состава ВВС и ПВО Кубы, доступны данные на 2006 год:

Zona Area Oeste:
2 Brigada «Playa Girón»

Zona Area Oriente:
3 Brigada «Cuartel Moncada»

К 1990-м годам кубинские ВВС оценивались как лучшие в Латинской Америке, как по оснащению, так и по уровню подготовки. После прекращения активного военного сотрудничества с СССР и Россией в 1990-х годах кубинская авиация испытывает значительные трудности. По западным данным, боеготовными являются лишь две истребительные эскадрильи, в полётопригодном состоянии на 2003—2004 годы находились около 20 боевых самолётов, а ежегодный налёт у лётчиков в этот же период не превышал 50 часов.

По данным International Institute for Strategic Studies, по состоянию на 2007 год, численность личного состава DAAFAR оценивается в 8 тыс. чел. В пригодном к полётам состоянии находится 31 боевой самолёт, 12 транспортных самолётов, некоторое количество вертолётов и учебно-тренировочных самолётов, кроме того, указывается, что ещё 179 ЛА находилось на хранении.

Техника и вооружение
По данным британского сайта aeroflight.co.uk состояние авиапарка кубинских ВВС в 2006 году выглядело следующим образом:

Опознавательные знаки

Эволюция опознавательных знаков

Примечания

Ссылки
 История ВВС Кубы. Создание
 ВВС Кубы на странице Scramble.nl
 Данные о составе ВВС Кубы

См. также

Военно-воздушные силы Кубы

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Laser acupuncture is becoming an increasingly popular option for dealing with various addictions and ailments. Read on to know more about this treatment.
Laser acupuncture is a relatively new form of simulation of acupuncture, where a low energy laser beam is used instead of needles. This is done to influence the flow of charge at the precise points of acupuncture. A laser acupuncturist will aim a beam of light from a laser tube at an acupuncture point, stimulating it in a similar manner as acupuncture needles. This form of acupuncture is gaining a lot of popularity for effective treatment of painful conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, etc. It is also used to treat certain addictions and to mitigate the symptoms of certain diseases. Given below are the various popular uses of laser acupuncture.
There are many people who have incessantly tried to stop smoking. One method that people can try out is acupuncture using laser so as to get rid of the urge to smoke. The laser pricks the body and stimulates the release of feel good hormones, thus, not letting the person develop an urge to smoke. There is a key difference between regular acupuncture and acupuncture using laser. When using laser acupuncture, you feel a warm, pulsating, tingling sensation at the point of application. The laser stimulates the central nervous system to release chemicals that stimulate the pleasure sensation in the body. Trying to bring about smoking cessation using this method is still being studied.
It has been claimed that acupuncture using laser can provide significant amounts of allergy relief. In such cases, what is mostly used is low level laser therapy, which uses a specific wavelength of light to bring about therapeutic effects on a cellular level. These light waves contain photons, which activate enzyme molecules which lead to several biochemical reactions in the body, which makes it respond differently to an allergen. Thus, it leads to pain reduction, decrease in swellings, and faster healing.
It has been said that laser acupuncture for weight loss helps to achieve the desired weight more quickly when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. The laser basically acts by stimulating centers in the brain and body which curtail food cravings, enhance endorphins secretions, expedite metabolism, and thus, together weaken the appetite. This leads to decreased hunger pangs, and a decreased tendency to eat and binge, especially between meals. The laser treatment basically acts by helping correct any internal imbalances in the body.
One of the many uses of laser acupuncture is when it is performed both before and after embryo transfer during an in vitro fertilization cycle. This is said to improve the chances of implantation by up to 15%. There is an increasing amount of medical evidence that points towards the possibility that a woman's chances of conception are higher when acupuncture using laser is done in conjunction with IVF. In fact, acupuncture is frequently used by women with infertility issues, to help in regulation of menstrual cycles. It also helps to reduce stress and improve blood circulation in the pelvic region, including the uterine lining. However, it is best to visit your doctor and take his advice on this matter before going in for acupuncture using laser along with IVF.
Although this is still an upcoming field under study, it might prove to be very promising for treating diseases and addictions in the near future.


text:
Women's Travel Abroad
For Women About Women By Women
Trip Tips Destinations Biographies Blog Activities
Women in Prehistoric Times
Upper Paleolithic Venus Statuettes
National Museum of Antiquities
Saint Germain en Laye, France
Finding traces of women in prehistoric times is not very difficult. Scientists have been digging up our fossil remains for years. Archaeologists posit our Homo sapien ancestors evolved during the Middle Paleolithic some 400,000 to 250,000 years ago. As a matter of fact, we still have the genes of our Neanderthal and Homo sapien relatives in our DNA.
Early representations of women were also created during this time. On the European continent the first of these images were one-dimensional outlines engraved on the limestone of caves or cliff overhangs. The most famous of these is the Venus of Leussel. By the Neolithic period Venus images became more complex three-dimensional carvings made of ivory or semi-precious stone.
 Unlike the other two completely intact Venus figurines you see above only the head portion of the Venus of Brassempouy has survived. All three of the statuettes are no bigger than the length of your thumb. The anatomy of the female body is pronounced on the two intact figures. They seem to attests to the valuable role woman play in procreation but their faces are left uncarved. Although it is hard to know what the lower portion of the Venus of Brassempouy looked like from the details in her face I can easily imagine she was as elegantly thin as most modern French women.
The Venus of Brassempouy was found in 1894 among several other female figurines in the Cave of Popes, Brassempouy, Landes, France. She is dated from the Upper Paleolithic and is almost 250,000 years old. This Venus, carved during the Middle Gravettian, is made of mammoth ivory. The figurine is the earliest known representation of a human female face. In France she is known as the Dame a la Capuche or the Lady with the Hood because of what appears to be a net covering over her hair.
Every time I go the National Museum of Antiquites in Saint Germain en Laye I visit her. She is so petite and so charming I simply cannot stay away. Sadly the tiny sculpture I see is not the real thing. The actual Venus of Brassempouy is stored way in a climate controlled environment and can only be viewed by appointment. Yet I find this replication engages me as just the same. The straight forwardness of her face with it's slanted eyes, rounded cheeks, elongated nose, little mouth, and elaborate hair style are endearing.
Although I know the Venus of Brassemprey is not a real woman I still find myself wondering what her life might have been like. I want to know everything I can about her. Fortunately, archaeologists have also dug up material culture from the period in which she would have lived that might provide me with clues about her the way she lived. Unfortunately, many questions about life during early times are still unanswered. Researchers in the scientific community are diligently working to piece together a prehistoric past.
Looking at a modern day map we see the earth as we know it today. The major land masses geographically form the continents and countries that, even without labels and names, we are familiar with. The environments of land mass in the upper portion of the map are typically frigid and inhospitable for humans because of their nearness to the north pole. Land mass in the lower portion of the map are similar because of their proximity to the South Pole. However, the area in between the North and South Pole are generally more temperate and livable. Humans, animals and vegetation thrive in this environment.
However, the world was not always so environmentally friendly. Millions of years ago both of these land masses were stuck together to form one continent called Pangea. Over time they slowly split apart and drifted. During this time of great upheaval glaciers dropped down from the North Pole covering a large part of Canada, the United States, and Europe with ice and snow.
This process occurred three times creating an intermittent pattern of cold and warm weather. The only place the glaciers did not reach was South America and Africa. It is in Africa scientists have found the oldest fossils of our ancestors. In between Ice Ages early Anthropian migrants, primates who walked upright and had developed brains, traversed many miles of land to establish themselves on the European continent. Eventually the last glaciers receded leaving behind a much warmer, more habitable environment.
We know these people brought with them fire and tools. They also brought ingenuity and inventiveness both of which are highly valuable survival skills. They appear to have been environmentally adaptable. Anthropians lived and thrived in many different kinds of climates from tundra to alpine meadows to wetlands, wore clothing made of fur, and were skillfull hunters and resourceful gatherers.
By 26,000 B.C., during the Upper Paleolithic, the Gravettian Homo sapiens of southern France had literally left their indelible mark on the evolution of human culture. They created some of the most remarkable art in the western world. Colorful images of prehistoric animals painted on cave walls provide us with a vision of the richness of their lives. At Lascaux and Chavet caves we see pictures of huge mammoths, lumbering bears, stampeding horses, herds of bison, bounding ibex, and running deer. You can use the links to the caves to take a virtual walk through both Lascaux and Chavet for an up close and personal look at the paintings.
Recent research conducted by definitely shows women were involved in painting these images. Comparing the size of stenciled hand prints found in a variety of caves she determined females artistically contributed to the beautiful paintings. They appeared to have skillfully mixed the natural mineral pigments to make vibrant colored paint. Iron oxide was pounded to a fine powder to create the red paint so characteristic of this period. Charcoal stencil outlines of the animals were colorfully embellished by artists using brushes made of animal hair or by blowing the pigments through hollow tubes made of animal bones. No doubt these women painters also stood back and admired their creations with the same satisfaction as contemporary artists do today.
 Neanderthals arrived on the European continent around 130,000 years ago and flourished there until the beginning of the upper Paleolithic around 40,000 B.C. They were very robust people. Skeletal remains show they had large skulls, brains, eyes, and teeth. A ridge over their eyes distinguishes them from later Homo sapiens. They were rather tall and stout. For the most part their larger hands and feet functioned similar to ours.
It has been speculated Neanderthals walked with a swayed gait because skeletal remains showed they were somewhat bent over and bow-legged. It has also been suggested they had limited speech abilities because of the shape of their tongue and voice box. Although neither of these traits can actually be proven contemporary images of Neanderthals often portray them as over-sized, insensitive grunts. However, taking the time to look closer we can see this image does not really give us a very accurate picture of Neanderthal people.
Neanderthal communities were usually composed of about 10 to 30 related individuals. In Europe they generally lived comfortably in caves or under cliffs near a fresh water river or stream. Tented shelters of hide and bone, like the one at Lazaret Cave in southern France, have also been found inside caves. Fossilized charcoal inside living areas and at hunting sites let us know fire was used to cook food, provide warmth, and scare away preditors. Furs and hides from large and small animals may have been used as blankets. Animal skulls could have been used as cooking pots.
The Stone Age spans a period of almost two million years including the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic eras. During this time humans experienced monumental changes in living conditions and life styles. Everything became more complex. Tools progressed from simple rocks with cutting edges for hunting wild game to polished flint blades for harvesting domesticated grain. People moved from stone caves to timber homes. Human populations increased until the upper part of Europe was entirely, albeit sparsely, occupied.
Old Stone Age 2,000,000 - 12,000B.C.
HOMO NEANDERTHALS
Cave/Cliff Shelters
Mobile Encampments
Hunting-Gathering
Stone- Flint Tools
Fur-Hide Clothing
Painting-Sculpting
Ritual Burial
Mesolithic
Middle Stone Age
12,000 - 10,000 B.C.
Stone-Flint Tools
New Stone Age
10,000 - 5,000 B.C.
MODERN HUMANS
Grain Domestication
Textile Production
THE PREHISTORIC AGE
Are you wondering what these resourceful Neanderthal and Homo sapien women wore? No one knows for sure. The truth is no clothing has been found from Paleolithic times. However, wear patterns on women's teeth suggest they created outfits from animal hides. Scientists think their garments may have resembled traditional Eskimo clothing which is perfect to wear in frigid environments. It is likely these women also cleaned and softened animal hides with stone scrapers, punched holes in the hide with an awl, and laced pieces of hide together with sinew to create garments. Ivory needles may have been used for finer stitching. Red ocher paint, made from iron oxide mineral pigments, was used extensively by Neanderthals. It could have easily been applied to hide for creating designs on clothing.
Along with their many other accomplishments prehistoric people appear to have been making ropes for binding, nets for fishing and trapping, and baskets for cooking and storage. Professor Olga Soffer postulates impressions on clay fragments and carvings on the womanly 'Venus' figurines, found in Europe, indicate Upper Paleolithic people had mastered twining, braiding, and knotting natural fibers. According to Soffer these Gravetian artisans were also making coiled and wicker baskets and weaving on non-heddle looms. She suggests whip stitching, using ivory needles with eye holes and sinew for thread, may have been used to join smaller pieces of fabric to construct clothing, wall hangings, and mats. Somewhat more controversial is her belief that articles of personal adornment on several 'Venus' figurines suggest women were the individuals primarily responsible for these activities.
HOMO EVOLUTION
These early residents, Australopithecines who migrated from Africa to Europe, were experienced hunters and gatherers. They hunted large game with spears and captured small game with traps. Other sources of protein came from both fish and fowl. Plants were gathered for nutrition and medicine. Their typical diet was high in protein attained mostly from reindeer. However, it was augmented with greens, berries, and nuts.
A collection of hominid skull and jaw bones, dated using paleomagnetism, found at the Atapuerca Gran Dolina cave in Spain proves humans were in Europe almost 800,000 years ago. At another Atapuerca cave, Cueva Mayor, the 1,600 human bones excavated from a deep shaft were dated between 400,000 to 200,000 years old. The Cueva Mayor bones belong to an early species of Homo heidlebergensis according to the site investigator Juan Luis Arsuaga. These bones are the oldest known human skeletal remains found in Europe.
The beach camp of Terra Amata, near Nice, France is dated at 380,000 years ago. It gives us a look at the lives of these early hominids. The cave, carved by the sea into the limestone wall of Mont Boron, had a freshwater spring. Residents built wooden wind breaks and wooden huts inside the cave to protect themselves from rainy and cold weather.
Fire pits were found inside the cave. Shells and animal bones indicate they hunted and ate limpets, fish, red deer, aurochs, rhinoceros, and mammoths. Tools made from flint, and quartz were found in the cave. Their tool kit had single and double edged choppers, pointed bi-faces, chisel-like cleavers, scrapers, and points.
 Their tools were varied and carefully chipped. A Neanderthal tool kit may contain both Mousterian and Levallois style javelin points, hand axes, scrapers, and awls. Considering the large size of Paleolithic animals it is likely both females and males engaged in group hunting and butchering of game. Neanderthals would have hunted a variety of large game like the mammoth, rhinoceros, bear, auroch, and reindeer.
Scientists estimate it would have taken ten reindeer a year to meet the protein needs of one person. For a group of ten people that is one hundred reindeer. Over a year a community of this size would spend one out of every three days on the hunting for game. As the community grew in size even more time would need to be dedicated to procuring animal protein. Time would also be spent searching for wild plants to add to their diet and medicine kit.
Homo sapien women and men arrived in Europe around 40,000 B.C.. They also migrated from Africa and settled mainly in Spain and France. Initially the environment they lived in would have been similar to that of the Neanderthal people. No doubt they would have survived using much the same skills as their predecessors. Although it was generally believed Neanderthals completely died out by the middle Paleolithic recent DNA research has shown that Neanderthal and Homo sapiens probably interbred.
About 20,000 years ago, during the last ice age, ice sheets still covered the upper parts of the northern hemisphere. Scandinavia, Britain, Europe, Russia, and China were steppe or tundra. However, forests did grow in the lower parts of Europe near the ocean shore in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Ten thousand years later the last ice age ended. Temperatures gradually increased, sea levels rose, coastal low lands were drowned, and the forest spread northward replacing the previous cold weather environments.
Then mammoths and bison became extinct. However, several species of deer adapted and became the main source of protein for humans. These swift-footed, grazing animals completely changed people's life style. Humans had to follow the herds as they moved from place to place in search of food.
Humans also had to develop new ways of communal living and hunting techniques. Much of their life was lived on the run. Everything needed to be portable and light weight. Easy to move tent encampments replaced the stationary caves as primary living sites. The bow and arrow eventually replaced the spear and spear thrower as the hunting tool of choice. Arrow points became sleeker and sharper.
Climate change affected the available food resources. Intermittant warming temperatures forced game adapted to cold weather to move further north and led to the extinction of many large mammals including the woolly mammoth and rhino. Reindeer, roe deer, ibex, and auroch became a major sources of protein.
Mammoth Tooth
Carnavalet MuseumParis
Jewelry serves many purposes in human society. Some jewelry is primarily functional. Hair pins, fibula, buttons, clasps, and buckles fall into this category. Certain types of organic and inorganic materials, like amber, are considered to have magical power and are often worn as jewelry for personal protection. Other pieces of jewelry may serve to mark or signify a person's social status or group affiliation. Finally, jewelry is just one of the many ways humans express their artistic selves.
Prehistoric finds of jewelry indicate personal adornment was definitely part of the culture. Scientists can only posit feathers and wood were used for jewelry. Both of these materials are biodegradable and perish quickly unless they have been fossilized. It is known for certain prehistoric people drilled holes in shells, teeth, bones, and precious stones to hang individually as pendants or string them together to form necklaces and bracelets.
Although much of the material appears to have been gathered from close to their living sites there is evidence some of it may have been acquired through trade. Flint, the same material for making tools, blades, and points, was also used to make jewelry. More exotic stones like amber and jade was brought by traveling sales people who bartered for locally produced goods.
Many scientists believe the Paleolithic was a very important period in human development. During this time every aspect of life went through enormous change. The highly adaptable and resilient Homo species meet each challenge with aplomb. During the Mesolithic period human populations in Great Britain and Europe increased but artifacts suggest they did not significantly change. Small changes did occur but they were subtle and generally showed up as advancements in the tool industries.
Life during the Mesolithic period life above the equator appeared to be much the same as it was during Paleolithic times. However, from 12,000 to 10,000 B. C. weather in the northern climes changed radically. Glaciers receded and temperatures rose. Forest environments gradually replaced tundra flora and fauna. Many animals, especially those adapted to very cold weather, migrated further and further northward in search of food and people followed along with them.
However, below the equator huge changes had been taking place. Some people in Africa were in the process of domesticating animals and cultivating plants. When they migrated northward these humans brought with them goats and sheep, wheat and barley. The Agricultural Revolution reached Europe, Scandanavia, and Britain during the Neolithic period, 10,000 to 5,000 B.B. It remained a predominate way of life for almost twele thousand years until the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in the 1700's A.A.
Paleolithic Bone Flutes, Whistle, and Bull Roarer
Museum of Antiquities, Saint Germain en Laye
To a certain extent this begs the question of what were the contributions of women throughout prehistory. Personally, I would like to believe in the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and early Neolithic females and males used many of the same tools and performed similar tasks with equal skill and competency. However, there seems to be some evidence, particularly in artifacts from burial sites, the division of labor by gender proliferated in the later Neolithic as agricultural societies became more stratified and elite. The sickle, a unique tool specially created to cut grain, was also introduced during the Neolithic and is easily swung by both men and women.
FLUTING
TECHTIFORM
CRUCIFORM
PECTIFORM
Prehistoric Ice Age cave painters also embellished the walls of caves with a variety of signs. As a matter of fact, geometric signs outnumber animal and human images in most Ice Age caves by a ratio of 2 to 1 or more. Genevieve Von Petzinger is studying the geometry of the signs to find repetitive patterns and continuity of shape. She has determined that most signs painted in many caves have 26 distinct shapes. The above sign are among the most predominate shapes found in European caves.
The open angle is perhaps the oldest and most popular shape. It was used for the entire Ice Age a period that spans almost 22, 000 years of human history. The line, oval, finger fluting, cross hatch, circle, cruciform, and dots were also used during all periods of the Ice Age. The pectiform was used in the Gravetian and Magdalenian periods and the tectiform was used only during the Magdelenian period. All of these signs were found in caves in southern France.
On the Bradshaw Foundation website (bradshawfoundation.com/geometric_signs) you can read a report about her research and check out all of the 26 signs. You can also view cave paintings and rock art from Chauvet, Lascaux, Niaux, and Cosquer caves. There are also many other interesting historical topics on this website for travelers.
SAPIEN.
Paleolithic Flint Spear
Neolithic Arrow
Flint Point
Feathered Shaft
Raising animals and growing crops required an entirely different attitude about the world. From the Paleolithic to the Neolithic period the concept of time shifted from being somewhat fluid to considerably fixed.
During the Neolithic period documenting time became ever more important. Cultivated wheat and barley had to be planted, harvested, and processed at set times. Domesticated sheep and goats needed to routinely mated, milked, and butchered. Researchers think the ruins of grand stone circles, built in northern Europe and Great Britain, may be the larger, stationary Neolithic version of the smaller, portable lunar calendars made during the Paleolithic.
Stonehenge, in Wiltshire on the Salisbury plain, is situated on a spot in Great Britain that has been occupied by humans since 8820 B.C. The first 'henge' was erected during the middle Neolithic. It resembles the structure we see today most closely in size and shape. Little is known about how the actual structure was used. However, scientists are willing to speculate the monument may have been a ceremonial or religious site.
However, it is during the Neolithic period we do see the obvious development of tasks and tools traditionally associated with women. Elizabeth Wayland Barber, author of Women's Work, The First 20,000 Years, thinks the Neolithic practice of domestication was directly responsible for what she calls the "courtyard sisterhood." It is during this period the cultivation of grains and domestication of animals led to a more settled life style.
Furthermore, during the Neolithic the population of Europe increased radically. Scientists estimate only five hundred thousand individuals lived on the European continent in 8000 B.C. Within fifteen hundred years the population of Europe had grown to ten million people.
It would appear there is a connection between the predictability of food and birth rates. Unlike their Mesolithic sisters Neolithic women were no longer burdened with carrying their less mobile children in search of the next meal. Instead they could spend their time developing new techniques and technologies for processing, storing, and preserving the more reliable and abundant food supply.
In addition to the beautiful pictures and fascinating signs musical instruments have also been found in the caves. At Hohle Fels cave, near Ulm, Germany, a 35,000 year old flute made out of vulture bone was found next to a Venus figurine. The flute has a V-shaped mouthpiece and five finger holes. Bull roarers and rasps, have also been found in caves.
Add these instruments to the sounds human voices and bodies make (singing, humming, whistling, clicking, snapping, clapping) and it is easy for me to imagine a 'rockin and rappin' evening of paleolithic music around a blazing camp fire or inside a torch lite cave. Our prehistoric sisters also probably enjoyed performing and listening to their own musical creations.
A small portable bone artifact found at Abri Blanchard, France may be a Paleolithic calendar. Dr. Susan Johnston suggests the linear engraved dots may represent a full year cycle of the waxing and waning of the moon.
Neolithic humans, our closest ancestors, developed new tools and techniques to ensure all these tasks would be completed effectively and efficiently, none of which appear to be specifically designed for one gender or another. I have my own hammer. So does my spouse. I used my hammer to nail shingles on the roof of my house. He also used his hammer to do the same thing. We both also have our own bow and arrows and hit a target equally as well. In reality innate objects like tools are neither male or female. Tasks are not also not gender specific. It is we humans who assign gender roles to objects and activities.
Large stone mortars and pestles, which are still used in many developing countries today, were constructed to efficiently pulverize grain into an edible staple. Clay was molded into pots for storing grain. Wooden spoons and bowls were carved for stirring and serving stews and cereal.
Neolithic people soon learned it was better to utilize the by-products of living domesticated animals. Fewer and fewer goats, sheep, and cattle were slaughtered for meat. Over a relatively short period of time the Neolithic diet became primarily dependent on grain as a source of food. In the village courtyard women would spend many hours a day winnowing and grinding wheat into flour and making flat bread and porridge.
According to Elizabeth Wayland Barber skeletal remains of women found at a Neolithic archaeological site in Switzerland attest to the arduousness of this work. Repeated grinding of grain on the heavy stone grinders lead to permanent physical deformity. The pressure from kneeling and pressure from pushing heavy objects with the arm and shoulder caused major damage to many of the women's toe, knee, and shoulder bones.
Yet another activity done by the "courtyard sisterhood" was weaving on a warp-weighted upright loom. Elizabeth Wayland Barber argues this Neolithic loom spread across Europe from Hungary. She believes it can be traced back to the widely used smaller band loom. A weaver using a band loom can simply tie a single bunch of warp yarn around her waist and anchor the other end of the yarn to her big toe. She would pass the weft thread back and forth under and over the warp yarns tightening the weft yarn with a stick. Historically, larger looms seem to have developed in the area where flax first became domesticated.
This area stretches from northern Iraq to southern Europe. At the time Iraq was warm and dry so the ground loom became popular. However, in southern Europe the cold, rainy weather made the upright loom a more practical alternative. In good weather it could be set up outside but if it was rainy or too cold the loom could be hung indoors from the rafters or leaned against a wall. This loom takes up very little living space in a hut. Unlike the ground loom, where the warp threads are staked down to the ground on both ends, the individual warp threads on these upright loom were held in place by heavy pieces of rock or clay called whorls.
Post holes and clay weights found in Neolithic huts in the Tisza Valley, Hungary suggest cloth made on an upright loom could be four to five feet wide. Fabric woven during the early Neolithic was most often made from flax. Making flax into fiber suitable for weaving is a long and tiresome process. The outside stem must be soaked in water until it rots away (retting), the loose woody parts of the stem are twisted (breaking), and the fibers are combed until they are clean (hackling). Once these processes are complete the fibers can be woven into the fabric we know as linen.
At several sites in Switzerland (Roberhausen, Irgenhausen, Schaffs, and Murten), dating from 3,000 B.C., excavators found flax in every stage of processing. Elizabeth Wayland Barber reports the artifacts included tools for breaking and hackling, hanks of spun thread, clay loom weights, and dyed and decorated fabric. Hackling boards were made from wood set with rows of thorns. The fabric was woven in square, chevron, and checkerboard patterns and embellished with seeds.
In Europe flax is a warm weather crop. However, during the late Neolithic people realized they could get year long supplies of fiber for weaving if they sheared their domesticated sheep instead of butchering them. Around 4,000 B.C. wool became the main source of yarn. Fabric made from wool is warmer and easier to dye than linen.
Using the sharper obsidian bladed tools, introduced during the Neolithic, shearing sheep for their wool would have been an easy process. The tools used for preparing flax for weaving could have also been used to card and comb wool. It is even possible some ingenious Neolithic woman, no longer entirely dependent on animal hides to keep her warm, might have simply reused the frame she had previously used for curing hides as the structure for her upright loom.
Paleolithic Sewing/ Tanning Tools Museum of Antiquities
Early to Late Paleolithic
Shell, Tooth, and Jade Jewelry
Cave Painting Pigments and Tools
Neolithic Mortar and Pestle
Neolithic Loom Weights and Spindle Whorls
Neolithic Tools, Utemsils, Pots
 In order to envision the first structure we must peel away thousands of years of renovations. In 3100 B.C. Stonehenge was nothing more than a three hundred foot wide deep circular ditch and embankment which encompassed an interior circle of 56 mysterious Aubrey Holes. It was entered through a wooden arched gateway and then a doorway made of two standing stones. Inside the ditch were four station stones set opposite of each other. Two of the stones were buried in the dirt and two are set on raised mounds of dirt .
This site appears to have been used for about five hundred years and then abandoned for the next five hundred years. Around 2100 B.C., for some unknown reason, building on the site began again. The outside circular ditch and embankment and stationary stones were completely restored. An enlarged avenue and entrance, that also pointed to the rising sun in midsummer, was widened by twenty-five feet and two Heel Stones flanked the entry.
Perhaps the most amazing and remarkable addition to Stonehenge at this time was the addition of a double horseshoe-shaped ring of upright bluestones. Each of the eighty bluestones weighed almost four tons and had been transported from the Presli mountains in southwest Wales. A large free-standing bluestone, the Slaughter Stone, found inside the ring is believed to have been used as a ceremonial altar.
Evidence of cremated human remains, tools, and pottery have been found in some of the chalk-filled Aubrey holes. Although these finds do not conclusively prove funerary rituals were performed at this site it does suggest a conscious reverence for the dead had developed by the Neolithic period.
More conclusive proof of ritual burial comes from fifteen long barrows, within a three mile radius of Stonehenge, where late Neolithic farmers interred the bones of their dead. Almost a hundred more long barrows can be found in the surrounding countryside which indicates the practice was wide-spread in this part of Great Britain.
The chalky mounds vary from 65 to 265 feet long and 10 to 100 feet wide. Using deer antlers or scapulae it would have taken at 12 adults 4 months to build an average size barrow. The barrow was an above ground burial place for either members of a single family or people of special importance to the community.
A Neanderthal cemetery found at la Ferassie, a rock shelter in southern France, suggests ritual burials may have taken place as early as the late Paleolithic. Two adults and five children were buried at this particular site. One of the adults, a female, was tightly flexed into a fetal position, which is usually achieved by tying the body together with a rawhide or fiber rope. Flint tools and pieces of animal bone were found in some of the graves. At other Neanderthal burials red ocher has been found.
The shape of barrows changed over time. The early Neolithic long barrows, of Britain's Windmill Hill people, are long mounds of chalk rubble that covered many interred bodies. The bowl shaped barrows of the later Beaker people are simply circular mounds of chalk rubble with a surrounding ditch specifically used to inter a single person.
During the Neolithic period in Great Britain all of these mounds contained both male and female remains. The role women played in prehistoric funeral rituals is unclear but a grave unearthed at Perre Tourneress, on display at the Museum of Antiquities, Saint Germain en Laye, clearly shows a woman buried with her valuable jewelry and trinkets. It would appear she is a woman of wealth and status. Neolithic graves in Europe are similar to those found in Britain. However, the mound of earth covering the support stones that formed the interior walls of the tunnel walkway that led to the circular burial chamber, is often eroded away leaving just a rocky table-like structure called a dolman.
Stonehenge, Wiltshire Downs, England
Remains from Perre Tourneress, Normandy
Mueum of Antiquities, Saint Germain en Laye
Bowl Barrow, Wiltshire Downs, England
Dolman, Normandy, France
Prehistoric women left behind very few artifacts to show us how how they lived. However, we can see from the Paleolithic Venus figurines and the Neolithic menheir sculptures of France that women appear to have played important roles throughout prehistory. Our ability to birth and nurture offspring was critical to the development of prehistoric societies.
Large and small images of women have been carved in stone or molded from clay from time immemorial. Sometimes we were portrayed as svelte and nubile. Other times we were portrayed bursting with the fullness of a new life. These images suggest women were seen as social assets and were highly valued maybe even worshiped as goddesses.
It is only in the last fifty years or so women scientists and researchers have created a history for us that reaches back to the very beginning of our earliest prehistoric ancestors. During my last trip to Paris and visit to the National Museum of Antiquities prehistory had been rewritten. Neanderthal culture was widely displayed replacing the once popular CroMagnon exhibits. Also, more artifacts that are typically associated with women were on show.
Thousands of years have passed since our womanly prehistoric sisters walked the earth. Recently we have been given our rightful place in the earliest history of our species. I am confident more wonderful information about our development and contributions to prehistory will be uncovered in the future.
Copyright 2017 Creative Travel Publications, LLC
Please Feel Free to Contact Me Personally With Comments or Questions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


With clippers, tarp and cultivator in hand, I ventured forth into my overgrown gardens on a sultry summertime morn. Hazy, hot, humid weather has arrived necessitating that most strenuous gardening activities be performed early in the day or during the evening hours.
With clippers, tarp and cultivator in hand, I ventured forth into my overgrown gardens on a sultry summertime morn. Hazy, hot, humid weather has arrived, necessitating that most strenuous gardening activities be performed early in the day or during the evening hours.
Hauling hoses to my drought-stricken gardens has become part of my daily routine, and although Mother Nature has offered sporadic downpours, a good soaking rain is desperately needed.
Water is obviously an essential factor in plant growth, and supplemental moisture is particularly critical during the summer months. As the universal solvent, water dissolves nutrients in the soil. It allows them to be taken up by the plant's roots and then transports them throughout the plant. In addition, water must be available to maintain cell turgidity. If a plant does not receive enough water, its cells shrink, and wilting results. A third function of water is to cool the plant. When there is insufficient water, plants wilt and heat up, photosynthesis ceases, and plants are weakened, making them more susceptible to diseases and insect infiltrations.
Be sure to provide a deep, thorough soaking of your plantings once or twice a week, rather than superficially watering every day. Scratch the surface after watering, especially if beds are heavily mulched, to see if the water has soaked into the soil; even a prolonged watering often does not reach plant roots.
Container-grown plants require regular watering, and by midsummer, those growing in full sun may need to be watered as often as twice a day. Wilting is usually a sign of the need for water, but soggy plants will also wilt, and some plants will appear limp during the heat of the day even when they are sufficiently watered. Always feel the soil before watering, as too much water can lead to rot.
The constant irrigation required for container-grown plants leaches minerals from the soil, requiring the regular application of supplemental nutrients. A dilute application of a liquid soluble fertilizer on a weekly basis is recommended for continuous flowering and healthy, deep green foliage. An alternative is to use products like Osmocote that can be applied to the soil surface; each time the plant is watered, fertilizer is distributed to the plants. One small scoop of these fertilizer crystals, which look like tiny beads, will generally provide nutrients for most of the growing season, although I tend to supplement with liquid fertilizer once a month.
The use of summer mulches offers many benefits to all types of plantings. Even a thin layer of shredded bark or similar organic covering will significantly reduce the emergence of weeds, help soils to retain moisture, and keep soil temperatures more evenly regulated -- in addition to providing an attractive, uniform background that sets plants off beautifully.
Apply 2 inches of mulch over the root systems of trees and shrubs but avoid contact with the trunks and branches. The bark of trees and shrubs is analogous to our skin and enables a plant to breathe, especially the flare at the base of trees. Mounds of mulch, the so-called volcano effect, can be hazardous to woody plants, often suffocating the plants and encouraging infiltration of insects and diseases.
While the negative impact may not be immediately evident, over the years, trees and shrubs buried in mulch will often decline or succumb. Pull back dense layers of mulch from the base of woody plants to ensure their health and survival. Use only an inch or so of mulch in perennial borders, taking care not to bury the crowns of perennials, as this can also lead to rot or suffocation.
The routine practice of "deadheading" to eliminate spent flowers and seedpods is essential for creating a tidy, ever-blooming garden. One primary reason to deadhead is purely aesthetic. Shriveled blooms and dead flower stalks are usually unsightly, spoiling the appearance of plants that are still in bloom.
Perhaps an even more important reason to deadhead is to prevent the formation of seedpods. A plant grows and flowers for the purpose of creating new plants, usually through the production of seed. Annuals, in particular, complete their life cycle in one growing season and keep bearing flowers in a never-ending effort to produce seeds to scatter for the following year.
If these plants are allowed to produce numerous seedpods, they tend to bloom less or may even cease to bloom entirely.
Continuous deadheading of daisies, zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, verbena, salvia, snapdragons, dianthus, dahlias and petunias encourages these plants to keep bearing flowers. Cut spent stems back to the base or branching stems bearing buds rather than leaving unattractive protruding stubs. Be sure to pinch or snip the entire stalk and spent blossoms of petunias rather than just pulling off the faded flowers, as seed pods usually form in the capsules left behind.
Long-blooming perennials including coneflowers (Echinacea and Rudbeckia), Coreopsis, blanket flower (Gaillardia), Salvia, catmint (Nepeta), Heliopsis, Veronica and tall phlox will continue to bloom if deadheaded faithfully. Remove the stems of reblooming daylilies like Happy Returns and Stella de Oro, often covered with seedpods as flowers fade, and provide supplemental moisture to encourage subsequent bloom later this summer.


Seeking to define 'control' in case of merger and acquisitions involving listed companies, Sebi on Monday proposed a 25 per cent voting right threshold or the right to appoint majority of directors as determining factors to identify the controlling entity.
Launching a public consultation process, the regulator said the final decision on putting in place 'bright-line tests for acquisition of control' under takeover regulations would be taken after looking into views of all stakeholders.
Sebi's board had decided to initiate a consultation process in this regard in its meeting on Saturday, which comes against the backdrop of instances of ambiguity and concerns over control in some listed entities.
Comments have been invited till April 14, Sebi said, while adding it is open to suggestions beyond the measures proposed in the consultation paper that broadly lists two options -- adopting a numerical threshold of 25 per cent voting rights, or putting in place a framework for protective rights such as veto powers.
Sebi has also proposed to learn from the systems and procedures in place in other parts of the world. Sebi gave an illustrative list of protective rights that will not amount to acquisition of control and grant of such rights will be subject to obtaining public shareholders' approval. Currently, assessment of control requires consideration of facts and circumstances of each case. As a result, there have been multiple shades of opinion. Besides, multiple regulators apply the test of control from different perspectives resulting in ambiguities.
Under Sebi regulations, control is based on certain defined principles rather than on rules and there have been cases when a multitude of opinion give rise to different assessments of control over a listed company. A bright-line rule or a bright-line test generally refers to a simple and basic standard that can be applied to remove ambiguity and resolve contentious issues.
In cases of mergers and acquisitions, an acquirer or any other entity would be considered to be gaining control of the target company if it fulfils the bright line tests with regard to acquisition of voting rights, control over operations and influence in board decisions.
Sebi has received representations from various investor groups and other entities, seeking some kind of guidance with a view to providing more clarity on the definition of control and defining bright lines on the same.
There have been many cases, including in the much-talked about Jet-Etihad deal, when the issue of control was debated a lot and it was felt that Sebi needs to put in place specific guidelines defining bright lines to determine the control. Sebi had looked into the matter to determine whether the deal was leading to joint control over Jet by existing promoters and Etihad. It eventually ruled that the deal did not attract provisions of the Takeover Code, as it found a lack of substantial controlling powers with Etihad.
Listing out options, Sebi proposed the right or entitlement to exercise at least 25 per cent of voting rights of a company or the right to appoint majority of the non-independent directors of a firm.
In case this is adopted, acquisition of control through other means such as special rights would not necessitate an open offer requirement under Takeover Regulations. However, it would reduce the uncertainty in the assessment of acquisition of 'control' and bring clarity, as per the discussion paper. Further, the extent of influence by the investor over the board of directors would also be ascertainable in all cases, it added.
In the second option, Sebi has proposed an illustrative list of protective rights that will not amount to acquisition of control and grant of such rights will be subject to obtaining public shareholders' approval. Having rights in decisions involving a significant change in the current business activity or that apply on exceptional circumstances would also be treated as a protective right, Sebi has proposed. Among the illustrative list of rights include appointment of chairman, vice-chairman, observer, commercial agreements. Citing pros and cons of this option, Sebi said investor having the protective rights would continue to be a public shareholder and acquisition of the said rights would not amount to acquisition of 'control' under Takeover Regulations.
However, this only being an indicative list, acquisition of other rights would be examined on the basis of the facts and circumstances of the case. In case such rights are deemed to be participative in nature, it would amount to acquisition of 'control' and necessitate an open offer under Takeover Regulations, 2011. However, this approach may lead to further complexities in assessment of control and lead to ambiguity in interpretation.