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Vladimir Putin, party pooper

Today officially marks the 100th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. The government of Vladimir Putin, however, hasn't been exactly keen to embrace this bit of Russia's past.

There was the obligatory parade in Red Square, with thousands of soldiers dressed up in old-fashioned uniforms, but officially, it actually commemorated the 76th anniversary of a 1941 march when Soviet troops departed Moscow to fight Nazi invaders.

As if that wasn't confusing enough, the original Second World War display was held to mark the 24th birthday of Lenin and his revolutionaries seizing power — which happened in late October, not November. The blame falls on Czarist Russia's use of the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian one used in the West.

Putin himself did not attend today's parade, nor is he publicly marking the anniversary.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently surpassed Stalin to become the country’s longest-serving modern leader. (Alexei Druzhinin/EPA)

The Russian president, who recently surpassed Stalin to become the country's longest-serving modern leader, has an ambivalent relationship with the Soviet past. He was, of course, once a high-ranking member of the KGB. But he has grown to believe that revolutions are overrated.

"The nation, in his view, has had enough of revolutions," Matthew Rendle, a senior lecturer in Russian history at the University of Exeter, wrote in a commentary piece last spring.

"For him, they disrupt people's lives, causing harsh material deprivations, with a negative impact on the prosperity and power of states. And while Putin accepts that some countries do require serious political and economic reform, he believes evolution to be a better route."

Although Putin might also be sensitive to the common perception that his rule has more in common with Russia's wealth-hungry czars than its communist dictators.

As the world marks the centenary of the October revolution, Russia is once again under the rule of a tsar. Our cover this week <a href="https://t.co/31JlaG5Y2L">pic.twitter.com/31JlaG5Y2L</a> —@TheEconomist

Either way, the country seems just about ready to turn the page on the Bolsheviks. People no longer talk about the "October Revolution," but rather the "October Coup." And Nov. 7, which was for decades a public holiday in the Soviet Union, has been scrubbed from the calendar. Instead, Putin created a new holiday in 2005 called "Unity Day," a reboot of a czarist celebration of the expulsion of the Poles from Moscow in 1612, marked on Nov. 4.

And this week, there has even been talk that it might finally be time to bury the remains of Vladimir Lenin, which have been sitting under glass in Red Square since his death in 1924.

So if you are really looking to observe the centenary of one of the 20th century's most momentous upheavals, social media might be your best bet. This Twitter feed is tweeting the revolution as it happened, minute-by-minute, 100 years ago.

BREAKING: Junkers of Mikhailovsky artillery school abandon positions at Winter Palace, 4 cannons of 6 out of issue <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/1917LIVE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#1917LIVE</a> <a href="https://t.co/6R2qM9cjqh">pic.twitter.com/6R2qM9cjqh</a> —@RT_1917

Where's Harvey?

For a month now, Harvey Weinstein's name and image have been all over the news. But the actual whereabouts of the disgraced Hollywood movie mogul are harder to ascertain.

That was the gist of a court proceeding in Toronto yesterday, where the lawyer for a Canadian actor who hopes to sue Weinstein for sexual assault told a judge that he can't find the film executive to serve the legal papers to him.

Multiple attempts have been made in multiple locations over the past week, Alex Smith of law firm Henein Hutchison LLP told the judge, but to no avail. There have been similar difficulties locating Weinstein's former assistant who is accused of facilitating the alleged attack.

Harvey Weinstein is said to be staying at The Meadows in Arizona. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/Associated Press)

The actor, who has asked the court to remain anonymous, says she was lured to a Toronto hotel room almost 20 years ago and assaulted. She claims Weinstein threw her onto a bed, exposed himself and performed a sex act against her will.

Her lawyer's contention is that the film executive must know about these allegations by now, and that the case should move forward without him being personally served. The judge agreed.

Some media, however, believe they know exactly where Weinstein is: In a deluxe, $36,000 US a month Arizona clinic seeking treatment for sex addiction. Actor Kevin Spacey is reportedly a fellow patient.

Kevin Spacey, left, and Harvey Weinstein have both faced accusations of sexual impropriety in recent weeks. (AP and Reuters)

In recent days, Spacey's world has been coming apart at light speed. Fellow actors and film workers have come forward with a multitude of accusations about being groped, propositioned or ogled by the two-time Oscar winner. Netflix has dropped him from his hit show House of Cards. And this past weekend, Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard Dreyfuss, went public with a tale about being fondled by Spacey while his father was in the same room.

The clinic in question is The Meadows, a sprawling, resort-like facility in the high desert an hour outside of Phoenix. It features tennis courts and a pool, and offers in-patient treatment programs for a wide variety of illnesses including alcohol and drug addiction, eating disorders and "love-avoidance."

And the centre has a long track-record of treating the rich and infamous, with past patients like Tiger Woods, Whitney Houston, Kate Moss and Rush Limbaugh.

The Meadows is a residential rehabilitation center in Wickenburg, Arizona. (Will Powers/Getty Images)

Its 45-day program for sex-addiction promises a "safe, confidential and healing environment" to help addicts come to terms with their past transgressions and the underlying "core issues" that fuel the behaviour.

But there are lots of rules to be followed. Among the list of forbidden items:

Electronic devices, such as cameras, laptop computers, iPods, CD players, electronic games, musical instruments or anything not related to recovery

Novels or magazines

Candy (even sugar-free candy), food and/or beverages

Herbal remedies

Chewing tobacco or cigars (cigarettes are permitted)

Anything made of Spandex

Firearms/ammunition

Sewing kits

All luggage is searched on arrival. And while it is recommended that patients bring a swimsuit, it is strictly "one-piece only" for women and "trunks" for men. Shorts must be equally demure and "knee length."

Cell and smartphones are also banned at The Meadows, for "confidentiality reasons."

The website doesn't note the facility's policy on process servers.

Five questions on: Trump's Asia tour

U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in shake hands during a news conference at South Korea’s presidential Blue House in Seoul. (REUTERS)

Donald Trump's 13-day, five country tour of Asia moves from South Korea to China today. Ryan Hass, a longtime U.S. diplomat and now the David M. Rubenstein Fellow at the Brookings Center for East Asia Policy Studies in Washington D.C, answers our questions about the president's goals and challenges on this trip.

Q: How have America's relationships in Asia changed since Trump became president?

​A: Trump deserves credit for investing considerable time developing relationships with leaders in Asia during his first 10 months in office. He has established strong personal relationships with Japanese Prime Minister Abe and Chinese President Xi, for example.

That said, questions continue to follow Trump about whether he remains committed to the United States playing the role of leader and agenda-setter in the Asia-Pacific. Trump's withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement has fed concerns in the region that Trump would prefer to go it alone at a time when the rest of the region is pulling closer together through a range of regional initiatives, many of which have China at their centre.

There also is the question of output. Trump has had some success in getting many countries in the region to put more pressure on North Korea. But beyond that, it's hard to point to specific U.S. efforts that Trump's participation has helped advance in the Asia-Pacific [region].

Q: Is this tour more likely to fix those issues or exacerbate them?

A: I hope that Trump has success in reaffirming that the United States remains committed to working alongside countries in the region to protect stability and promote prosperity. I would like to see the United States play a leading role in pushing for a more integrated and diversified regional order, where rules and norms — not relative power – determine the outcome to disputes.

I also would like to see Trump leverage his visits to secure tangible outcomes that benefit American citizens.

Trump has an opportunity to exceed expectations on this trip. I hope he seizes it.

Q: You spent the past four years on the National Security Council, advising the Obama White House on China policy. What do you think The U.S. should be most concerned about in Asia?

A: The region is the source of much of the world's economic growth and dynamism. With supply chains becoming increasingly global, what happens in Asia directly impacts U.S. businesses.

There also are significant security challenges in Asia, ranging from North Korea to territorial disputes in the South and East China Sea. On top of that, there is uncertainty about how China will seek to use its growing national power to advance its interests in the region and beyond.

It has made sense for Trump to focus early attention on North Korea, given the proximity of the threat, but he can't afford to concentrate indefinitely on one challenge at the expense of losing sight of the broader trend-lines in the region.

He must also make sure that the region does not move forward with China at the centre and the United States on the sidelines. To do so, he will need to continue strengthening relationships with allies and partners, while also making sure that the region continues to insist that China play by the same rules as everyone else.

Supporters of Trump take part in a rally in central Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday. (Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)

Q: Much of what Trump has had to say about China or North Korea has come in the form bluster and threats. Does that have a use?

A: Bluster and threats are only effective when they are credible. Trump's over-reliance on bombast has diminished the weight of his words.

It is harmful when adversaries or competitors discount presidential statements. Over time, it causes presidents to have to choose between accepting that their threats are being discounted or following through on them and risking escalation. It would be better for the president to use threats sparingly, and only on matters in which he feels it would be necessary to follow through if the threats are not heeded.

Q: Trump has now decided to attend the summit of Pacific Rim leaders in the Philippines Nov. 14 after originally saying he was going to skip it. Does it matter?

A: Yes, it matters. The East Asia Summit is the only annual leaders-level meeting focused on regional security challenges. If Trump were to skip the meeting, he would be doing Xi Jinping a huge favour. Trump's absence would reinforce China's efforts to position themselves as the steady and dependable alternative to the unreliable leadership provided by the United States.

Quote of the moment

"[He] certainly believes in stronger property rights than exist in America."

A neighbour of Sen. Rand Paul's, speaking to the NY Times about the genesis of a landscaping dispute that left the Kentucky Libertarian with five broken ribs.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. A friend of the senator's told the Washington Post that Paul was mowing his lawn at the time of the incident which has left him injured. (Bryan Woolston/Associated Press)

What The National is reading

Harvey Weinstein's army of spies and intimidators. ( New Yorker)

New Yorker) Two years after the Paris Climate Accord, a compelling set of graphs that show how far countries have to go to meet their targets. ( New York Times)

New York Times) When you're sleep-deprived, parts of your brain turn off to rest, study finds. ( Telegraph)

Telegraph) Saudi Arabia's turmoil may claim a foreign victim, Rupert Murdoch and his Fox empire. ( Sydney Morning Herald)

Sydney Morning Herald) Minute-by-minute developments in the Russian revolution, 100 years later. ( 1917 Revolution Live

British woman jailed in Iran faces five more years because of Boris Johnson ( Politico.eu)

Today in history

Nov. 7, 1963: Maryon Pearson, wife of Prime Minister Lester B., talks to the CBC about the challenges of life in a remodelled 24 Sussex Drive. "It might have been more practical to tear it all down and begin again."