I don’t know if there’re less russians in Latvia that are able and willing to switch to latvian whenever addressed in crude russian, but if that’s true then I can only assume that is because there’s much more opportunities to communicate in russian and sources to get russian information from, ranging from books to movies, blogs and so on, which doesn’t improve one’s ability to speak latvian. The correct way to promote latvian language is expand latvian culture – the one thing that can never be too extensive for any nationality.

you see, this is where post-soviet commons go way apart with western people in terms of social interaction, especially when the former are lacking in prosperity. Thing is, you obviously think it’s absolutely polite and inoffensive to take a picture of someone’s misery for whichever, personal or otherwise, use without even asking the guy who’s living it. Needless to say, as you have observed yourself, his point of view is slightly different. Moreover, you called him (approx.) “human trash” for it. I’d call you an immoral bastard at that moment.