2013 Georgian Presidential Election: Understanding the Candidates
| Living in Georgia | 7 seen
Georgia's presidential elections are set to take place on October 27th, 2013, and three main candidates have emerged as frontrunners. Giorgi Margvelashvili, David Bakradze, and Nino Burjanadze, each with their own political backgrounds and experiences, are the main contenders for the presidency.
As a foreigner living in Georgia, it can be difficult to keep up with the intricacies of Georgian politics, but it's important to have a basic understanding of the candidates and the role of the president in Georgian politics.
Giorgi Margvelashvili, the first candidate, is a philosopher by education and a former rector of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs. He was named as the presidential candidate for the Georgian Dream coalition on May 11, 2013. Margvelashvili is not a member of any political party and has a background in education and philosophy.
David Bakradze, the second candidate, is a Georgian politician and diplomat who served as the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia from 2008 to 2012. Bakradze has held a number of positions in the past, including Minister for Conflict Issues, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the President of Georgia's special…
Drupal 7: How to Show a Custom Image When No Image is Provided
| Drupal Development | 19 seen
In Drupal 7, managing images can be quite challenging, especially when the default image is not provided. The platform provides an option to display a default image under "manage fields," but this approach can be limiting as the same default image will be displayed wherever the image field is used.
To overcome this limitation, you can follow these steps:
With these steps, you can have complete control over the image display, and the custom default image will only be shown when no images have been added to the image field.
{% if image_field is empty %} <img src="path/to/your/default/image.jpg" alt="Default Image"…
Autumn in Borjomi
| Living in Georgia | 26 seen
Borjomi altogether with Samtskhe - Javakheti region are among my Top destinations in Republic of Georgia. I have spent here countless days and nights. One of the best times to head here definitely is Summer, when temperature in nations capital Tbilisi rises above +40 Celsius, a lazy rest on the rocks in Borjomula river is like a safe haven. See Borjomi trip.
You can explore Borjomi either doing rafting on Mtkvari river (See: Rafting in Georgia - Khertvisi - Aspindza - Borjomi) or just by heading here by local transport called - marshrutka. See Tbilisi - Borjomi Transfer by Marshrutka (Minibus).
Borjomi is a paradise for hikers, there are many cool hiking routes available in Borjomi National park.
Borjomi is great for photography as well and Fall is one of the best times to head here for photography, in this article I have submitted some historical photos from my travels to Borjomi from Autumn 2013 (October 11).
Reconstruction works in Borjomi
Bridge in Borjomi
Construction works in Borjomi
Borjomi Mineral Water Park
Borjomi …
How to Set Up Google Analytics for Your Drupal Website
| Drupal Development | 12 seen
Google Analytics is an essential tool for tracking and analyzing the performance of your Drupal website.
By using this tool, you can gather data on your website's traffic, user behavior, and overall performance. This information can be invaluable for making informed decisions about the direction of your website and improving its user experience.
In this article, we'll walk you through the process of setting up Google Analytics for your Drupal website.
Step 1: Get a Google Analytics Tracking ID The first step is to set up a Google Analytics account for your website. Go to www.google.com/analytics and sign up for a free account. Once you have created your account, you'll be given a unique tracking ID, which you'll need in the next step.
Step 2: Install the Google Analytics Drupal Module The next step is to install the Google Analytics module for Drupal 8. To do this, go to the Drupal.org website and search for the Google Analytics module. Download and install the module on your Drupal site.
Step 3: Enable the Google Analytics Module After installing the module, go to the modules page in your Drupal backend and enable the Google Analytics…
How to Automatically Publish Future Posts in Drupal with Views Module
| Drupal Development | 7 seen
Drupal is a popular content management system that allows users to easily create and manage their websites. One of the features that Drupal offers is the ability to schedule posts for future publication.
This can be especially useful for bloggers and content creators who want to plan and publish their content in a systematic way. However, if you are using Drupal, you may find that scheduling posts can be a time-consuming process.
In this article, we will explain how you can use the Views module to automate the process of scheduling posts in Drupal.
One of the reasons why someone may want to schedule posts in advance is to plan their content publishing schedule. For example, if you write 10 articles in one night, you may want to have them published in the next 10 days. Scheduling posts in advance can also be useful if you are traveling or if you want to maintain a consistent blogging schedule.
However, scheduling posts manually can be a time-consuming task, especially if you have many articles to publish. This is why you may want to consider using the Views module to automate the process. The Views module is a powerful tool that allows you to…
Blog Contest: My Experience of Writing 16 Posts in 7 Days
| Blogging | 5 seen
On October 3rd, 2013 I embarked on a personal challenge of blogging for 365 days in a row. The goal was to create a consistent and meaningful presence online, to engage with my audience and to hone my writing skills.
I started the contest with a lot of excitement, eager to see the results of my efforts.
The first week of blogging proved to be an interesting experience. I managed to write 16 posts in 7 days, averaging 2.38 posts per day. I was pleased with my progress and felt proud of myself for sticking to my schedule. However, I soon realized that I had set the bar too low for myself and that I needed to step up my game.
To keep up with my ambitious goal, I decided to implement a system that would allow me to publish posts in the future. This would give me the flexibility to work ahead, in case I faced any unexpected challenges or obstacles along the way. The system also allowed me to schedule posts for specific times, ensuring that my blog would have a consistent flow of content, even when I was not able to write.
The system I created was simple and straightforward. I created a calendar that I could easily update and schedule my posts on. I…
IMF Predicts 12.4% Economic Growth for Turkmenistan in 2013
| Macroeconomics | 6 seen
Turkmenistan is a country that has managed to defy the odds and experience steady economic growth, even during the global financial crisis of 2009. The country is renowned for having the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world and is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
According to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Turkmenistan’s economy is projected to grow by 12.4% in 2013 and 10.4% in 2014. This growth is not limited to Turkmenistan as neighboring countries like Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are also showing significant growth in their respective economies.
The country’s GDP has been consistently growing since the 1990s, with some fluctuations along the way. However, the overall trend has been upward and Turkmenistan has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
Turkmenistan has been able to maintain its growth rate due to its abundant natural resources, particularly natural gas. The country has been able to leverage its rich reserves of natural gas to attract foreign investment and drive economic growth. In recent years, Turkmenistan has focused on diversifying its economy, investing in…
Reinis Fischer's Personal Blog: A Journey of Thoughts, Ideas and More
| Blogging | 1 seen
Welcome to my personal blog, reinisfischer.com, where I aim to share my thoughts and experiences on topics that matter to me.
I've been blogging for a while now, but today marks the official launch of my personal blog under the domain name reinisfischer.com. This platform will be the primary hub for all my future blogging activities.
But who am I? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Reinis Fischer, and I am a passionate individual with a love for writing. I believe that sharing our thoughts and experiences with others can help us to better understand the world around us and connect with others who share similar interests.
In addition to launching my personal blog, I am also participating in a blogging challenge, "Can you blog 365 days in a row." This challenge is designed to encourage bloggers to write and publish a post every day for a year. I am excited to take on this challenge and see where it takes me.
If you're interested in following my journey, be sure to check out my blog regularly. I'll be sharing my thoughts, experiences, and insights on a wide range of topics. Whether you're interested in personal development, creativity, or…
Ukraine vs Poland: A Comparison of GDP and Economic Development (2012)
| Macroeconomics | 19 seen
Both Ukraine and Poland have experienced significant changes in their economies since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
While both countries were part of the Iron Curtain and had similar population sizes, their economic growth followed different paths.
In 1990, Ukraine had a higher GDP and GDP per capita compared to Poland.
However, over the past two decades, Poland's economy has grown faster, with its GDP and GDP per capita reaching 489.8 billion USD and 12.707 thousand USD respectively in 2012. In contrast, Ukraine's GDP in 2012 was 176.3 billion USD and its GDP per capita was 3.866 thousand USD.
In the 1990s, both Ukraine and Poland underwent significant economic reforms aimed at transforming their economies from centrally planned to market-oriented systems. However, the pace of reform was different in each country. Poland was one of the first post-Soviet countries to undertake market-oriented reforms, and it quickly attracted significant foreign investment, leading to rapid economic growth. On the other hand, Ukraine struggled to implement economic reforms, and its growth was slower.
One of the key factors that contributed to Poland's…
Ilham Aliyev's Re-Election in 2013: A Look Back on Azerbaijan's Presidential Elections
| Emerging Markets | 7 seen
The 2013 Presidential elections in Azerbaijan saw the re-election of incumbent President Ilham Aliyev, who secured 84.72% of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission.
President Aliyev's victory was widely expected.
In the years since the 2013 Presidential elections, President Aliyev has continued to lead Azerbaijan, consolidating his power and pursuing a number of major reforms aimed at modernizing the country and strengthening its economy. During his presidency, Azerbaijan has seen significant progress in a number of key areas, including energy security, transportation, and economic development.
Under President Aliyev's leadership, Azerbaijan has become an increasingly important player in the global energy market, leveraging its rich reserves of oil and natural gas to secure long-term energy contracts and investments from countries around the world. At the same time, Azerbaijan has invested heavily in modernizing its transportation infrastructure, including the construction of a new international airport in its capital city of Baku, and the development of a major new transportation hub in the Caspian Sea.
In addition to these…
Top 20 Largest Economies in the World by GDP Nominal
| Macroeconomics | 49 seen
The global economy is a complex and dynamic system that is constantly changing. In order to get a better understanding of the world's top economies, it is important to take a look at the latest data and trends. In this article, we will explore the top 20 largest economies in the world by GDP nominal in 2019 and analyze the GDP per capita in the top 10 largest countries by GDP.
According to the World Bank, the top 20 largest economies in the world by GDP nominal in 2019 are as follows:
Azerbaijan's $3 Billion Azerbaijan Tower: The Crown Jewel of the Khazar Islands
| Emerging Markets | 139 seen
The construction of the Azerbaijan Tower and the Khazar Islands, a $100 billion city of 41 artificial islands in the Caspian Sea, was first planned to begin in 2015 and be completed by 2025.
There is no recent update on the status of the project and whether it has been initiated or not. It's possible that the project has been postponed or even canceled due to various reasons such as funding, economic conditions, or other considerations. It's recommended to check with local sources for the most up-to-date information on the status of the Azerbaijan Tower and the Khazar Islands.
The construction of the Azerbaijan Tower and the Khazar Islands project represents a massive investment for Azerbaijan, with the cost estimated at 100 billion dollars.
This cost is significantly higher than the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Azerbaijan, making it a significant undertaking. The Azerbaijan Tower alone is expected to cost 3 billion dollars, and it will serve as the centerpiece of the Khazar Islands.
The Khazar Islands are planned to be an artificial archipelago spread over 3,000 hectares in the Caspian Sea.
The project aims to provide a city…
Azerbaijan vs UAE: Comparing the Oil-rich Countries' GDP and Living Standards
| Emerging Markets | 22 seen
Have you read the recent article on NYTimes about Azerbaijan's ambitious plan to become famous?
Azerbaijan, like UAE, is an oil-rich country with aspirations for growth and development. In this post, we will compare the GDP and living standards of Azerbaijan and UAE to see how they compare.
Using data from the World Bank, we can see that in 2011, the GDP of Azerbaijan was 63.4 billion USD while the GDP of UAE was 360.2 billion USD. The GDP per capita in Azerbaijan was 6.911 thousand USD and in UAE it was 40.363 thousand USD.
It's clear that UAE has a much higher standard of living than Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan has ambitions to catch up.
In a future blog post, we will examine the oil reserves of each country and explore the possibility of Azerbaijan outperforming UAE. Additionally, we will delve into the distribution of wealth in Azerbaijan and UAE, to understand if the wealth is evenly shared among the citizens or controlled by a few oligarchs. Stay tuned for more insights on Azerbaijan vs UAE comparison.
The State of Ukraine's Economy: A Look Since the Collapse of the Soviet Union
| Emerging Markets | 18 seen
Ukraine, a country once considered as an integral part of the Soviet Union, has had a checkered economic history since its independence.
Despite being one of the largest economies in Eastern Europe, Ukraine's GDP per capita has always lagged behind Russia, which has been three-four times better in terms of GDP terms per capita. The recent announcement by the World Bank that the forecast for Ukraine's GDP has been cut down to zero this year (2013) has only added to the country's economic woes.
The upcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, where the Association Agreement, including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, is to be signed, has generated a lot of interest and speculation about the future of Ukraine's economy. Many are hoping that eventual incorporation into EU structures will change the country's economic trajectory for the better.
One of the countries often cited as a positive example is Poland, which has seen significant improvements in its economy and GDP since joining the EU. In the next few posts, I will be comparing Ukraine with Poland to gain a better understanding of the challenges facing Ukraine's economy and what lessons…
A Look at the 2013 GDP Forecasts for Baltic States and Caucasus
| Macroeconomics | 6 seen
t is fascinating to compare the economic growth of the Baltic states and Caucasus regions and make predictions on their future growth. The competition between these two regions to achieve a GDP of 100 billion USD is intense. In 2012, the total GDP of the Baltic states was 92.47 billion USD, while that of the Caucasus was 92.94 billion USD, with the latter leading by just 47 million USD. With 2013 already underway, it is interesting to take a look at the forecasts for each country and make predictions for the year.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) predicts that Georgia's economy will grow by 3% in 2013, a decrease from the 5% predicted in January and lower than the government's official forecast of 6%. Armenia is expected to have a 5% growth, while Azerbaijan is expected to grow by 5% as well. On the other hand, the growth predictions for the Baltic states are much lower. Estonia is forecasted to have a growth rate of 1%, Latvia 4.1%, and Lithuania 3.5%.
When we perform some simple calculations based on these predictions, we see that the Caucasus region is expected to have a total GDP of 97.27 billion USD, while the Baltic states are…
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