diff --git a/inc/inc.Utils.php b/inc/inc.Utils.php
index 0747c4abe..4e90b65c2 100644
--- a/inc/inc.Utils.php
+++ b/inc/inc.Utils.php
@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ function getConvertDateFormat() {
 		return 'yyyy-mm-dd';
 }
 
-function getReadableDate($timestamp) { /* {{{ */
+function getReadableDate($timestamp=0) { /* {{{ */
 	global $settings;
-	if(!is_numeric($timestamp))
+	if(!$timestamp)
+		$timestamp = time();
+	elseif(!is_numeric($timestamp))
 		$timestamp = strtotime($timestamp);
 	if($settings->_dateformat)
 		return date($settings->_dateformat, $timestamp);
@@ -84,6 +86,16 @@ function getPeriodOfTime($timestamp) { /* {{{ */
 	}
 } /* }}} */
 
+/*
+ * Converts a date string into a timestamp
+ *
+ * @param $date string date in format understood by strftime
+ * @return integer/boolean unix timestamp or false in case of an error
+ */
+function makeTsFromDate($date) { /* {{{ */
+	return strtotime($date);
+} /* }}} */
+
 /*
  * Converts a date/time string into a timestamp
  *
@@ -91,6 +103,7 @@ function getPeriodOfTime($timestamp) { /* {{{ */
  * @return integer/boolean unix timestamp or false in case of an error
  */
 function makeTsFromLongDate($date) { /* {{{ */
+	return strtotime($date);
 	$tmp = explode(' ', $date);
 	if(count($tmp) != 2)
 		return false;