The deforestation of Latvia continues. The habitat of Latvia's wild animals--deer, wild pigs, moose, etc. continues to deteriorate. The winds [recently four (4) big storms] tear across the land. Latvians have depended on wood for thousands of years to keep warm in winter. With the land bare of forests that dependencwill have harrowing effects in the not so distant future.
See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16439807

If the coming ice-age is helped along by demorestation, it may be that Latvians become one of the first people to evolve new fur covering over their nakedness. Thanks "emsnews" for this one:
http://emsnews.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/new-study-about-impending-ice-age-irritates-global-warming-scientists/

The "private temple" that I am suggesting that Latvians build to develop their tourist industry has its roots not only in the history of temples of earlier times, but also in the garden as a temple. Here is a story in the NYT about Sissinghurst Castle in England. It is worth while to read also the comments of the readers.

Latvians should find it worth their while to remember their Wandering Teachers, the Johns, in whose honor they celebrate Johns Eve on Midsummer's Eve. Might not the remembrance be honored with a temple, designed in contemporary style?

It is a mystery to this blogger why Latvians should think that visiting old buildings of long forgotten barons is of more interests to foreign tourists or, for that matter, to themselves than building temples to Johns to renew not only the economic foundations of their country, but something of their own heritage. Else, the victory belongs to Pop culture, and the Latvian people prove themselves to be broke in more ways than one.