How to Schedule your tweets with Tweetdeck
| Blogging | 39 seen
Lately, I have been playing around with Twitter. One thing to do on Twitter is to get followers, second thing is to compose tweets. It can be vice versa as well (Actually it should).
Since your Twitter followers are growing you start realizing that not only you are getting more followers, but your followers are following way too more Twitter accounts. And if you keep posting once a day, there is a huge possibility that nobody will hear you.
Of course, this depends on many factors, including what is the reason you tweet - is it just for fun, or is it to drive new visitors to your website, or just to keep up with your fellow mates? It indeed depends. But in case you are using Twitter to drive more visits to your site, you are thinking of more ways to do a little to automate this process.
There are many options out there, to help you automatize your Twitter stuff. I will name few of them - Hootsuite or Tweetdeck.
For now, I personally prefer Tweetdeck over other solutions. There is no plain reason why it's so, but it's so.
Perhaps it's because of I'm using just one Twitter account, and Tweetdeck is created by Twitter itself.
…What Happened to Google Plus?
| Blogging | 1 seen
Google Plus was Google's attempt at creating a social media platform that could compete with the likes of Facebook and Twitter. Launched in 2011, Google Plus initially gained some traction, with millions of users signing up for the service in its early years. However, by 2019, the platform was officially shut down. So, what happened to Google Plus?
One of the biggest reasons for the failure of Google Plus was a lack of user engagement. Despite its best efforts, Google was never able to create a social platform that could compete with Facebook, which had already established itself as the dominant player in the social media space. While Google Plus did have some interesting features, including its "Circles" feature that allowed users to segment their contacts and control who could see their content, it was never able to generate the same level of user interest as Facebook.
Another issue that plagued Google Plus was privacy concerns. In 2018, it was revealed that a security vulnerability had exposed the data of millions of users. This incident not only highlighted Google's poor handling of user data but also eroded user trust in the platform.
Google also…
Add Pin It button to hover over any image
| Blogging | 9 seen
In this tutorial I will show how to add Pin it button for every image on your website.
But before that you might check my tutorial how to add Pin it button to Drupal 7
Bellow is an example with working hover Pin it buttonHover over image to see Pin it button on left top corner
You will need to add following code to your website (in <head>section</head>
<!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --> <script type="text/javascript" async data-pin-hover="true" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>And that's it! Nothing more to add, just small JavaScript code.
Read out more here
Cycling to Tbilisi sea and back
| Outdoor Activities | 9 seen
Today was a great Saturday, we took our bikes and rode to Tbilisi sea and back. It was all day long (more than four hours) fun experience in very hot Summer day in Georgia.
Total distance: 16.9 km, Climb: 213 m, Time: 4.30h, Feelings: Superb
Route mapWhen we finally reached Tbilisi sea - I was so exhausted, after I got of from bike, my stamina was over:
Tbilisi sea
How to check Google rankings with Google Spreadsheets
| Blogging | 15 seen
In this article I will show, how you can check and track your SERP with Google Spreadsheets.
But at first I will tell you a story - More than 3 years ago I started to work on a hobby (but large scale site) dedicated to Georgia. It was built with Drupal, involved Google maps, Feeds parsing (Flickr, Wikipedia and more Open data)
So basically I built a kinda Mash-up - web site, that aggregates different information related to tourism objects in Georgia (Kinda smaller Gogobot, Triposso e.t.c)
Under this serious hood was not enough money, and by saying money I mean - Advertisement.
Main impact was on Organic traffic. As time passed, more traffic come in. But the thing with Google is pretty simple - if you don't add new articles, your rankings drops. So you can try to build back-links and other things.
It's already more than 3 years passed since the start of this hobby project. I have made many mistakes with it - like loosen data on Server, then got banned from Google SERP and more.
But idea stays alive - to have a hobby site dedicated to Georgia. By now it's simple blog, with original articles from places I have been. So no more copy/paste…
Google+ comments block for Drupal site
| Drupal Development | 4 seen
Lately I have been paying more attention to power of Google+ and so I decided to give a try to Google+ comments on a Drupal site.
Google for me generates about 70-80 percent of traffic, and so I guess most of the users will have Google account, to comment without need to login/register onmy site or let's say Disqus comment system I'm currently using on my blog.
As you can see - comment block is really nice, and taking in consideration it's Google comment system I guess it might only help you to be more discoverable on Google.
How to add Google+ comments block to Drupal siteYou can find a module on Drupal.org site: https://drupal.org/project/gplus_comments_block
Please take in consideration:
Until Google launches an API for the Google+ Comments feature...
This module provides a custom block.
Once this block enabled, it will display the Google+ Comments form and people will be able to comment on your pages.
It's important to keep in mind that this is an unofficial way to add Google+ Comments and Google can always change the code or remove some features.
What comment system you find most…
How to align Facebook like, Google + and Twitter buttons?
| Blogging | 14 seen
Working on a project I faced a problem how to align social share buttons. By default I'm not paying much attention to this, but there are circumstances you must provide clean work.
So here is the example:
These are social share buttons from my blog, as you can see, Facebook button is not in one line with other lines. To fix this, I did a quick Google search and found great tutorial on Github:
Here is my Drupal view - containing social share buttons:
<div class="social-share"> <div class="fb-like" data-href="[path]" data-layout="button_count" data-action="like" data-show-faces="false" data-share="true"></div> <a href="https://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-via="Reinis_Fischer">Tweet</a> <div class="g-plusone" data-size="medium"></div> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=[path]&media=[uri]&description=[title]" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="none"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" /></a> </div>Now I just need to add some…
Switching to Caucasus Online internet
| Living in Georgia | 9 seen
<p>For a last year in Tbilisi, I have used Silknet DSL internet connections, and everything was fine, till day it was not fine. I don't know the reason why, but Silknet's DSL stopped working as expected. You can <a href="http://www.reinisfischer.com/living-georgia/silknet-conversation-over-p… my thoughts about Silknet's Customer Service here</a>.</p><p>Anyway - I switched my ISP to another Great Georgian ISP - Caucasus Online. They offers much more speed for the same price, and they works quick. Today 3 guys came to my place and did all the installation works in less than 30 minutes.</p><p><strong>Here is the proof of much faster internet:</strong></p><p><img src="http://www.reinisfischer.com/sites/default/files/cospeed.png" width="300" height="135"></p><p><em>Faster than 77% of Georgia</em></p><p><strong>And here is the internet speed for Silknet's DSL</strong></p><p><img src="http://www.reinisfischer.com/sites/default/files/silkspeed.png" width="300" height="…
Devious Maids
| Worth to Watch | 15 seen
<p>Devious Maids is another great TV series to watch. </p><p><strong>About Devious Maids</strong></p><p><span>Four Latina maids with ambition and dreams of their own work for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2226342/</span></p>
New Amsterdam
| Worth to Watch | 9 seen
<p>New Amsterdam is a TV series made on 2008, and lasted just for 8 series. </p><p>Why I found these series interesting? Producers has tried to make something very interesting. As you may already know - New York city once was New Amsterdam and was found by Dutch colonists, well of course there lived Native Americans, before Dutches came.</p><p>And that is showed in New Amsterdam series - main role actor - John Amsterdam, a New York homicide detective, who is immortal, and has born back there in 1600-ies.</p><p>Probably you will recognize Danish actor <span style="line-height: 1.538em;">Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from another series - Game of Thrones.</span></p><h2><span style="line-height: 1.538em;">About New Amsterdam:</span></h2><blockquote><p><span>A Dutch soldier in the 1600's saves the life of a native woman and is granted the power of eternal youth in return. In the 2000's he is a police detective in New York City, and after 400 years, knows just about everything about the way the criminal mind works.</span></p></…
Silknet - Conversation over phone - Nightmare
| Living in Georgia | 227 seen
<p>Silknet is one of the major internet providers in Georgia, it offers great service for great money. But there are times things break up, for example Wi-Fi router. Silknet for their customers is offering some cheap ZTW 300 routers, and that's fine with me as long they work, when they stop to work,<strong> it's time to call to Silknet customer service.</strong></p><p><strong>And then it sucks</strong> - you are getting forwarded from one to another e.t.c. When you get some from the techical department it's just <strong>nightmare</strong>. The guy who doesn't understand much from DNS, routing and other geeky stuff is starting to teach you, like, you should restart your computer. On my question, should I do it 20 times a day, he keeps repeating - restart your computer!</p><p>When I'm answering I have not turned off my computer for 3 months, he is confused. Ok, ok I'm telling him, I have 6 other computers, should I restart all of them?</p><p>My aim from this conversation is simple - <strong>send to me damn technican</strong> who can change the damned ZTW broken…
Working with Drupal views attachments
| Drupal Development | 115 seen
Drupal views attachments is a nice feature, which allows us to extend Drupal views. For example, we can create a featured view and attach to it other view displaying additional information.
One of the reasons I love views attachments is because of I can create a main view and add to it smaller view and offset some items:
With views attachment sky is the limit, you can build for example a restaurant list view and attach to it Gmap style map, displaying both grid view with results and map with all nodes.
Today I wanted to just build a portfolio page, and by using views attachment I achieved following result:
Now its just up to you, to nicely css your views.
P.S. If you are considering a hosting for your Drupal website check out Bluehost, their shared hosting starts as low as $3.95/mo or read more about cheap Drupal hosting.
Joseph Stalin Declassified
| Documentaries | 3 seen
<p><span>A History channel documentary on Joseph Stalin.</span></p><p><span>In this documentary is pictured time how Stalin took the power after death of Lenin. About mass deportations and Stalins plans to conquer the west.</span></p><p><span>Not very objective, but still enjoyable documentary.</span></p>
Georgian Bus - Great way to travel from Kutaisi to Batumi or Tbilisi
| Travel guides | 12 seen
At first, when Kutaisi International airport was built (around 2012/2013) there were few transport options to choose from to get at least to the city center of Kutaisi, as it turns out, the city is actually located about some 17km from the airport. Back in the days, there were just taxi services, which was and still is pretty costly (as long as you are not using BOLT)
While you are still figuring out about your next flight to Kutaisi or travel options around Georgia consider Batumi Real Estate Crypto Investment
One way direction from Kutaisi city center to the Kutaisi airport with street taxi cost about 20GEL (price as of 2015). If you are really on a budget you might get from Kutaisi airport to Tbilisi (Didube station) for 10-12 GEL by using Batumi - Tbilisi marshrutka, you can try to catch one, just after leaving the airport building and heading to the highway, which is some 200 meters from the terminal building.
But let's not be greedy - There is a great alternative, called Georgian Bus, which offers cozy mini-buses both to Tbilisi and Batumi, for 20 and 15 GEL (prices as of 2014).
Even more, the Georgian Bus…
Batumi Aerial Tram
| Tourism objects | 31 seen
One of the must have tourist attractions in Batumi is an aerial tram (cable car) ride. Built back in 2012 these gondolas will take you in a 2,5 km long route at maximum elevation of 252 meters. During you ride you will enjoy breathtaking aerial views of Batumi city.
Best enjoyed in evenings shortly before sunset. At the other end of the ropeway there is nice viewing platform offering scenic views to the city and Black sea.
Ticket price per ride (round-trip): 10 GEL, as of 2016
Futuristic design of Batumi cable car station
Located at the Batumi bay, this station house indeed features futuristic design - but when overlooked from overall city architecture - it' s awful eclectics
Batumi cable car
Batumi cable car station
Cable car system installations is built by Doppelrmayr - an Austrian - Swiss company that manufactures chairlifts, cable cars, gondolas, surface tows for ski and amusement parks, as well as urban people movers and material handling systems. You will find Doppelrmayr in Gudauri ski lifts and in Tbilisi aerial tram as well.
…Latest video
Tsikhisdziri & Batumi Botanical Garden
After returning from our amazing trip to Thessaloniki, we decided to extend our holiday a bit longer — this time in beautiful Tsikhisdziri. Huge thanks to Eto for kindly offering her cozy apartments at Bambo Beach, where we enjoyed a full week of relaxation by the sea.During our stay, we explored local gems like Shukura Tsikhisdziri (შუქურა…
Summer in Latvia 2025
Summer in Latvia movie is out - Join us on our July (2025) journey through Latvia: installing a bathtub in our countryside cottage, setting up a pop-up store at Bangotnes, celebrating a birthday in Vērbeļnieki, traveling via Riga to Jaunpiebalga, Vecpiebalga, Smiltene, and Valka. From sipping sparkling wine with swallows to running 4K morning…
Chateau Ateni. Gori
This time (May 2025), our journey takes us to Gori and the enchanting Chateau Ateni - a hidden gem where authentic Georgian cuisine blends seamlessly with avant-garde natural wines, soulful traditional dance, and even the charming surprise of a small chick farm.What makes this trip extra special is sharing it with our Latvian/Georgian friends,…Living in Georgia
Mziuri Tennis Club in Tbilisi
Our family has been attending Mziuri Tennis Club in Tbilisi since September 2025, after several recommendations from our BIST community. We signed up our 7-year-old for the junior program, which costs 300 GEL per month. After a few months…
12 Rounds Boxing Club in Tbilisi
Sometimes even the most loyal gym-goers need to shake things up—and that's exactly what I did this month. After years of training at the "luxurious Axis Tower gym", I decided to take a short break. Not because I had any complaints about…
Tbilisi Circus: A Historic Landmark with a Surprising Past
Tbilisi Circus is an iconic part of the city's cultural landscape. Having lived in Georgia since 2011, I have passed by the Tbilisi Circus almost every day. However, it wasn’t until I attended a show that I truly appreciated its grandeur…
Foraging for Mushrooms near Tsodoreti Lake: A Day in the Suburbs of Tbilisi
Back in June 2024, I first came across Tsodoreti Lake during one of the Tbilisi Trails races, which turned out to be one of the most challenging runs of my life. While I tackled the 10K trail route, my partner and our kiddo took a gentler…
Piece of Life
Postcards from Marseille
It’s been nearly two years since our last trip to Marseille, a sun-drenched jewel on France’s southern coast that left an indelible mark on our memories. That summer of 2023, we set out to explore the city’s vibrant beaches and winding old town, arriving and departing through the bustling hub of Marseille St. Charles train station. As I sit…
Christmas Eve at Palolem Beach: Fire Shows, Old Monk
While we just celebrated Orthodox Christmas in Georgia, I can’t help but delve into the memories of our Western Christmas last year (2024), spent on the serene shores of Palolem Beach in Goa, India. That evening was magical in every way, filled with vibrant energy, beautiful scenery, and a new discovery that made the night unforgettable.Palolem…
A Family Guide to Borjomi: Hiking Trails and Sulfur Bath Tips
As summer came to a close, we continued our family's tradition of visiting Borjomi. This year marked yet another memorable trip at the end of August 2024, reaffirming our love for this beautiful Georgian town. Visiting Borjomi at least twice a year has become a cherished routine, a piece of life that we look forward to, blending relaxation,…
Travel guides
Gateway of India, Mumbai
I first visited the Gateway of India at the end of December 2025, during our three-week trip to India. We spent only a few short days in Mumbai, and this stop was not planned in any deep or academic way. We arrived from The Lalit Hotel by…
Summer in Latvia 2025
Summer in Latvia movie is out - Join us on our July (2025) journey through Latvia: installing a bathtub in our countryside cottage, setting up a pop-up store at Bangotnes, celebrating a birthday in Vērbeļnieki, traveling via Riga to…
Birthday in Thessaloniki, Greece
Turning 40 is a milestone worth celebrating in style, and what better way than in Thessaloniki — a city that seamlessly blends history, culture, and cuisine. From affordable flights and boutique stays to seafood feasts and hidden beaches,…
Hotel Reviews
Stays & Trails La Maison Hotel Review in Panaji
At the tail end of 2024, just before catching our flight back to Delhi, we decided to book a one-night stay at Stays & Trails La Maison Fontainhas in Panaji, Goa. After weeks staying in Palolem beach, we wanted to wrap up our trip with…
Schuchmann Wines Château: A Long-Awaited Stay in Georgia’s Premier Winery Hotel & Spa
It took us over a decade to finally make it to Schuchmann Wines Château & Spa, and it was well worth the wait! We’ve spent years recommending this stunning winery hotel to visiting friends and business partners, yet somehow, we had…
Hotel Belvedere Prague: A Practical Stay with Easy Access
During our recent trip to Prague in mid-October 2024, we stayed at Hotel Belvedere. My partner attended the MEET Central Europe Translators conference, and we were joined by one of our office employees, so we opted to book two rooms. …
Review: Art Hotel Prague – A Cozy Stay in a Tranquil Part of Prague
During our recent trip to Prague in October 2024, we opted for a one-night stay at the Art Hotel Prague. We arrived at the hotel via Bolt taxi from Václav Havel Airport, which was straightforward and efficient. At about EUR 120 per room…
Toursim objects
Plage des Catalans: A Shrinking Memory in Marseille
Plage des Catalans, a sandy crescent tucked along Marseille’s coastline, holds a special place in my travel tapestry. I first visited this beach in the summer of 2003, a carefree stop during my early adventures in the city. Back then, it felt like a haven—close to the bustling port yet offering a slice of Mediterranean calm. When I returned…
Colva Beach: Golden Sands and Tranquility in Goa
Colva Beach, located in South Goa, is known for its expansive golden sands and tranquil atmosphere. Stretching for several kilometers along the Arabian Sea, the beach offers a peaceful escape from the busier tourist hubs in the region. Its wide shoreline, framed by swaying palm trees, provides plenty of space for visitors to relax, stroll, or…
Charles Bridge: A Timeless Landmark in Prague
The Charles Bridge (Karlův most) in Prague is one of the most iconic and historic landmarks in Europe. Built in the 14th century under the reign of King Charles IV, this Gothic stone bridge spans the Vltava River, connecting Prague's Old Town with the Lesser Town (Malá Strana). Adorned with a series of 30 Baroque statues and surrounded by…