Equinox Monthly Membership Rates Downtown Los Angeles

Membership Rates for the Downtown Los Angeles location at 444 FLOWER ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90071

are click here to find out....
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Current rates are $150/month with $175 initiation for a one year contract. From what I can tell they are holding firm on that price. Several of my friends have tried negotiating with no results. During the holidays they offered a promotion to waive the initiation fee.

Before the gym opened they offered a special promotion of $135 a month with no initiation but unfortunately that offer is no longer being offered.

Rooting my phone

This past weekend I decided to "root" my Android smartphone. Let me start by first saying I had no idea what I was getting myself into. In hindsight was the juice worth the squeeze? Or to phrase it a bit differently, would I do it again? Probably yes; but the whole process was much more time consuming, and at times frustrating, than I had anticipated (mainly because I had no idea what I was doing).

So what is rooting a phone? Well rooting your phone is literally gaining write access to the root directory of your phone.

So what does that mean? And why would you want to do it? Well the best analogy to use is that of a traditional PC. Your smartphone is basically a mini, portable, PC. And just like your PC it has an operating system. In this case, instead of using Windows from Microsoft, it uses Android which is distributed by Google (for free by the way). Now, do you remember the last time you bought a new PC? When it was shiny and new everything ran smoothly and your programs were responsive (hopefully). Then after a few years of use things started to get bogged down. Your PC accumulated additional software, the hard drive became fragmented, you unwittingly picked up some spyware, among other maladies. Soon you would click on a web-link, go get a cup of coffee, and the webpage you requested was still loading when you returned. Well, the same thing happens to Android smartphones. Android, as distributed by Google, is a reasonably efficient and responsive operating system. However, when you typically buy a smartphone from a major carrier (Verizon, AT&T, etc.) you're actually not getting the original Android operating system. What you get is a bastardized version that has been modified by both the cel phone manufacturer (Samsung, Motorola, etc.) and your carrier. The result is a bloated, inefficient operating system that is reminiscent of that two year old PC. And hence the beauty of rooting your phone. With root access you can now go and freely change your operating system ostensibly removing the layers bloat added by your phone manufacturer and provider.

Which leads me back to my smartphone, a Motorola RAZR HD from Verizon. It's a good phone but from day one it was a bit laggy/unresponsive and I always found that annoying. So, I thought to myself why don't I just root my phone and remove the layers of bloatware applied by Motorola and Verizon. So I did a Google search and found some Youtube videos that walk you through the process. To make a long story short, what should have taken thirty minutes took me over 6 hours over a period of three days. And that was with more than a few frustrating moments. For a period the GPS ceased to operate. At another point my phone was bricked, as in it wouldn't even turn on. I'm pleased to say that everything turned out OK. My phone is now rooted and working properly. It's moderately faster than the stock version which is good. And I now have access to useful apps that only work on phones that are rooted. But probably the biggest benefit of this whole endeavor is that I know how to root an Android phone which I will be doing on my next phone.

Tesla Model S Review

I recently had the opportunity to drive my friend's new Tesla Model S with the 60 KWh battery (Tesla also offers an 85 kWh battery). I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed by the vehicle and I am convinced that the Model S represents the future of driving. The entire driving experience is truly a leap forward from what is offered by today's vehicles. The ride is smooth, quiet and planted. Acceleration is phenomenal with the electric motor generating gobs of torque. The Model S is virtually maintenance free; no more oil changes, transmission fluid replacements, or radiator flushes. Inside the cockpit, all buttons and knobs have been replaced with an elegant touch screen that spans the entire height of the dash and provides access to Google Maps. And the retractable door handles, while somewhat superfluous, is realllllly trick.  Driving a Model S makes you wonder, why didn't we think of this sooner???

However I do have three bones to pick. In my opinion, if Tesla can address these three issues then it can truly begin its march towards becoming a main stream vehicle (as opposed to the niche position it currently holds).

1) The driver's seat isn't as comfortable as other comparable luxury vehicles. When you first enter the Model S and you take a seat, you immediately notice that the driver's seat is smaller than those of comparable vehicles in this class. Whereas the driver seats in a BMW, Mercedes, or Lexus, have a throne-like feel, the size of the Model S is somewhat low-rent, more in line with an economy car. Clearly, the seat design was dictated by an effort to save weight. In a vehicle like the Model S, the quest for weight savings is akin to optimizing a high performance road bike, every ounce matters. The smaller seat undeniably saves weight but unfortunately I think it also sacrificed too much comfort. For Tesla to win over buyers who are cross-shopping with other luxury brands, the small seat will be a deal breaker in my opinion, especially for those with larger frames.

2) The interior lacks functional storage space. Just like the seat size was sacrificed in the name of weight savings, interior storage was cut from the list of features. I can appreciate a clean minimalist look but I really need a center console to store items such as a cel phone, wallet, papers, etc.

3) The on-board computer needs to have a 4G connection. One of the greatest features of the Tesla S, the large touch screen with built in Google Maps and a web browser, also becomes a huge annoyance. Tesla has eschewed traditional on-board navigation for cloud based turn by turn navigation from Google Maps. I think this is a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, waiting for the maps to load on a 3G connection can be agonizing. The faster download speeds offered by 4G will make the response times of using Google Maps for navigation and surfing the web a much more pleasant experience.

So, in conclusion, if Tesla can address these three items then I will be the first in line at the dealership.

Art Gallery

I'm pleased to announce the grand opening of the Pedram Pourmand Art Gallery. The Gallery will feature international art from aspiring artists that have yet to be discovered. All art is one of a kind and created with organic, environmentally friendly material. 10% of all proceeds will be donated the the very worthwhile organization, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So please check out the art and let me know what you think.