diff --git a/lib/subscriptions/SubscriptionManager.inc b/lib/subscriptions/SubscriptionManager.inc
index 9b8f09b..073a67d 100644
--- a/lib/subscriptions/SubscriptionManager.inc
+++ b/lib/subscriptions/SubscriptionManager.inc
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ class SubscriptionManager {
         $sql = $default->db;
         if ($sql->query(array("SELECT id FROM " . Subscription::getTableName($iSubscriptionType) .  " " ./*ok*/
                         "WHERE user_id = ? " .
-                        "AND is_alerted = 1", $iUserID))) {
+                        "AND is_alerted = ?", array($iUserID, true)))) {
             $aSubscriptions = array();
             while ($sql->next_record()) {
                 $aSubscriptions[] = & Subscription::get($sql->f("id"), $iSubscriptionType);
diff --git a/presentation/lookAndFeel/knowledgeTree/dashboardUI.inc b/presentation/lookAndFeel/knowledgeTree/dashboardUI.inc
index 4649409..5e55635 100644
--- a/presentation/lookAndFeel/knowledgeTree/dashboardUI.inc
+++ b/presentation/lookAndFeel/knowledgeTree/dashboardUI.inc
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ function renderDashboardNews() {
 	global $default;
 	
 	// retrieve all news items
-	$aDashboardNews = DashboardNews::getList("active=1 ORDER BY rank");/*ok*/
+	$aDashboardNews = DashboardNews::getList(array("active=? ORDER BY rank", array(true)));/*ok*/
 
     $sToRender = "";