--- a/MPIWGStaff.py	Fri Apr 26 20:31:21 2013 +0200
+++ b/MPIWGStaff.py	Fri Apr 26 21:18:01 2013 +0200
@@ -1093,13 +1093,20 @@
                 member = MPIWGStaffMember(self, dbresult=content)
         
         elif key is not None:
-            content = folder.executeZSQL("select * from personal_www where key = %s", [key])
+            # TODO: sometimes key is lowercased (e.g. responsibleScientistsList), we should fix the data
+            content = self.executeZSQL("select * from personal_www where lower(key) = %s", [key.lower()])
             if len(content) > 0:
                 member = MPIWGStaffMember(self, dbresult=content)             
          
         return member
     
 
+    def isActiveMember(self, key):
+        """returns if member key is active"""
+        res = self.executeZSQL("select * from personal_www where lower(key) = %s and publish_the_data = 'yes'", [key.lower()])
+        return len(res) > 0
+
+
     def sortPriority(self,list):
         def sort(x,y):
             try:
@@ -1544,7 +1551,7 @@
         REQUEST.response.redirect(self.REQUEST['HTTP_REFERER'])
  
    
-    def invalidate_chache(self):
+    def invalidate_cache(self):
         #TODO: How to invalidate the varnish cache from the member object
         pass;