Febuary 10,  2007: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is selling his health care overhaul plan across California, appearing at hospitals and with doctors, insurers and consumers in hope of stirring momentum for sweeping change.

Schwarzenegger says he thinks lawmakers can achieve no less than a total reshaping of the system this year. Since releasing his plan in January, he has expressed optimism over the fact that various groups involved in health care have come forward to support broad changes rather than objecting to specifics.

"Here just a month ago it was a thought. I talked about the importance of reforming a broken health care system," the governor said at a Capitol press conference last week.

He then gestured to representatives of insurance companies and doctors groups who stood behind him to support policies promoting physical fitness. "Today, a month later, look at this coalition," he said. But the lack of opposition may simply reflect that there is no detailed legislation yet that could divide groups that now appear united.

"At the end of the day, this is a legislative town and it's all about crafting the language," said Anthony Wright, director of the consumer organization Health Access, who supports getting something done this year. "And we don't have any language yet."

The governor's $12 billion plan would require individuals to have insurance, mandate that insurers sell it to them, and require employers, doctors and hospitals to shoulder some of the costs. The plan would provide incentives for healthy living and technological efficiency that could drive down costs in the long run. Democratic legislative leaders have proposed similar comprehensive solutions.

The Legislature will take its first look at health care proposals next week at a Thursday hearing of the Senate Health Committee. Senate staff members say it will likely be April, at least, before detailed bills are drafted and debated. None of that seems to faze the Schwarzenegger administration.

Daniel Zingale, a senior adviser to the governor on health care, said getting all sides to buy into the idea of change now will make it less likely that factions will walk away from negotiations when it comes time to decide the details.

"You'll see even further progress building public support and stakeholder support, and then the next step will be seeing the broad base of support for the principles translate into specifics," Zingale said.

Longtime lobbyist Beth Cappell, who represents union and consumer interests, said the atmosphere this year does seem different from in the past. Groups organized immediately to oppose efforts such as Senate Bill 2, a 2003 law requiring large employers to provide insurance that was later repealed by voters.

"If you have coalitions forming to say what we see before us is unacceptable and must be stopped, we would be in a very different political climate than the one that's created by organizations stepping forward and saying it's important to get this done," she said.

The California Medical Association, which represents doctors, joined insurance companies, such as Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield, and the Service Employees International Union last week in a pledge to find consensus on health care this year. A second coalition, representing consumers and other unions, is expected to form next week to push for policies that protect consumers.

But there are still plenty of players waiting to see what the detailed bills will look like before they sign onto the goal of achieving comprehensive health reform this year.

While lauding the governor's willingness to take on the issue, Blue Cross isn't joining other insurance companies in supporting the concept. Blue Cross opposes requiring insurers to sell coverage to anyone who wants it, a key part of the governor's plan.

The company released a statement saying it is "concerned that some components of the governor's proposal may increase costs and reduce consumer choice in the marketplace."

The California Restaurant Association helped lead the fight against SB 2 and other efforts to require employers to provide insurance. Jot Condie, the group's president, said requiring employer participation remains a non-starter at least until spiraling health care costs have been brought under control.

"We're waiting for the proposal to be released, then we can begin the work being at the table," Condie said. "At this point, there is a table, I guess, but there's not a whole lot of talk about anything other than the need for health care reform in California."

Meanwhile, it's not clear whether any proposals could be approved without votes of Republican lawmakers, whose support  would be needed for policies that would include a tax increase. There is an open debate over whether fees on doctors and employers would constitute a tax.

Republican lawmakers appear less invested in approving a comprehensive health care overhaul this year than the Republican governor and Democratic leaders. Senate Republicans this month proposed their own scaled-back plan that would shift existing tax dollars to cover some, but not all, of the state's uninsured.

"The governor has indicated he'd like to have it all done this year," said Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman, R-Irvine. "As a practical matter, there are so many moving parts, so many stakeholders, and so many large issues; nobody wants to rush it through."

Brain Awareness -  Use It or Loose It

The brain’s capacity is enormous, yet it is estimated that we consciously use less than 1 percent of its potential — what are you doing to maximize your brain's potential?

The Brain

Your brain is divided into halves, the cerebral hemispheres, which help you analyze sensory data, remember information, learn new information, create thoughts, and make decisions.

Each hemisphere can be further divided into 4 lobes, frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital, and each lobe has its assigned responsibilities. The frontal lobe is responsible for cognition and memory; the parietal lobe processes sensations related to touch; visual perception is controlled by the occipital lobe; and the temporal lobe is responsible for auditory senses.

Brain Health

Your brain, like many of your other organs, ages. Your aging brain is responsible for your decline in memory, decision-making ability, and verbal skills. However, there are actions you can take to preserve your most vital organ, as well as increase its potential.

Exercise Your Brain

There are many things you can do ward off the aging brain, for example: 

Exercise your Mind: Challenge your brain daily by making note of last week’s activities, working on crossword puzzles, trying a new hobby, or reading more books.

Exercise your Body: Exercising reduces depression and other cardio-vascular risks. It also produces a euphoric state by releasing endorphins. Enjoy physical activity daily; take the stairs rather than elevator at work, park in the back of the parking lot, take a brisk 5 to 10 minute walk during lunch.

Eat Healthy: Like your body, your brain also has certain dietary requirements. Proteins and foods high in unsaturated fats will help with developing brains. Foods low in cholesterol and saturated fats, in addition to eating breakfast will jumpstart your brain. And you can protect your brain with anti-oxidants vitamin E and C.

Think Safety: Wear protective head gear when enjoying physical activity like riding a bike or snowboarding.  And wear your seat belts to protect your head from trauma in case of an accident.

Get Plenty of Sleep: Lack of sleep leads to mental fatigue and loss of memory. Try to get eight to nine hours of sleep each night because while you sleep, your brain is repairing itself, collecting the day’s events, and filing everything into your memory.

Reduce Stress: Stress can lead to memory loss. High stress releases cortisol in your brain, which absorbs your brain’s primary food source, glucose. Some ways to reduce stress are to meditate, exercise, and listen to music.

Quit Smoking and Refrain from Illegal Drugs: Research shows that smoking can lead to mental decline and ecstasy and speed can result in mental deterioration.

Febuary 13,  2007:  The first big hit to the San Francisco restaurant industry came three years ago this month -- a $1.75-an-hour increase in the minimum wage.

The second came last Monday when the city became the first in the country to require all businesses to provide paid sick leave to their employees.

The third is due in July when the city's plan to require health coverage for uninsured residents kicks in -- assuming the employer mandate portion of the ordinance survives a legal challenge by restaurant owners.

A word to diners: Budget accordingly.

"We think it will cost us $180,000 to $200,000 a year for just those three increases,'' said Dave Stanton, managing partner of Tres Agaves, the Mexican restaurant near AT&T Park that opened to rave reviews in October. "I'm going to have to raise prices for all my drinks and appetizers a dollar and entrees two dollars. I don't know how else to do it.''

His is a common refrain among restaurateurs in a city synonymous with fine dining, where tourism rules the economy. The three new mandates, they say, will have the unintended consequences of reducing workers' hours and blemishing the city's reputation for hospitality.

"What eventually will happen is, we will lag behind,'' said Joseph Manzare, a partner in Tres Agaves and the chef and owner of three other San Francisco restaurants, Globe, Zuppa and Pescheria.

"We are known as the best restaurant city in the world, but we are going to start lagging because there will be a lack of service, a lack of staff in the dining hall. Something has to give,'' Manzare said.

San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano, a supporter of the three measures, thinks restaurateurs protest too much. He noted that a Field Poll in January found that 78 percent of voters supported requiring employers to provide insurance for employees. And 76 percent supported expanding government programs to cover uninsured people, Ammiano noted.

"You get a more loyal workforce when you provide insurance, you get a healthier workforce," Ammiano said.

"You cannot exploit workers as was done in the past. But remember, restaurants are in this for profit. This is not a Peace Corps exercise for them.''

The supervisor added that he was asked to leave a Valencia Street restaurant recently by an owner protesting his support of the San Francisco health care ordinance.

All three mandates are for worthy causes, a half dozen restaurant owners interviewed acknowledged. But they maintained that the cumulative burden is unfair, particularly on small, labor-intensive neighborhood businesses that are critical to the city's economic engine.

"They may call themselves progressive,'' Mark Pastore, the owner of Incanto Restaurant on Church Street, said of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. "But their actions are paving a path for only large, ruthless, profit-driven corporations to survive in San Francisco. Is this the San Francisco we want to build?''

When the city's minimum wage law became effective in February 2004, Pastore imposed a special charge, explaining it on the menu and customers' bills, "A partial service charge of 5 percent will be added to each check, enabling us to share the rewards of serving you with our non-tipped kitchen employees.''

The boost in the minimum wage went to Incanto's waiters, who were paid the minimum but benefited, some very handsomely, from tips. The increase did not go to members of the kitchen staff, who were already making a few dollars above minimum wage.

Pastore uses the service charge to pay 100 percent of health care coverage for a dozen kitchen workers. He expects the city health care program that starts in July will add an additional $75,000 to $80,000 to his costs. That about equals his 2005 profit of $80,000.

Incanto's owner said the restaurant's customers find the service charge more palatable than higher prices because it gives them permission to deduct it from the tip.

"I think raising prices up to the sky over time does not benefit diners or benefit my business, and it won't benefit my employees,'' Pastore said.”We are like a lobster in a pot of water. The real risk in San Francisco right now is the temperature simply keeps going up every year.''

Gayle Pirie, the chef and co-owner of Foreign Cinema, a moderately priced Mediterranean bistro on Mission Street, also is staring at potential additional annual costs of more than $200,000.

She and partner John Clark like to give year-end bonuses to the kitchen staff. Now those are threatened.

"With these mandatory benefits, we have less control over giving benefits to our employees," Pirie said. "You are forced to restrain your generosity in ways that are not your style.''

Tres Agaves is a partnership between Manzare, the chef, Sammy Hagar, the rocker who heads Cabo Wabo Enterprises, and Julio Bermejo, owner of Tommy's Mexican Restaurant on Geary Boulevard. Its 38 investors put more than $2 million into the 10,000 square-foot place. The partnership is considering another location -- but it won't be in the city.

"I can tell you that as of right now, we are not looking to expand in San Francisco,'' said Eric Rubin, a managing partner. He called the city's business environment "onerous."

The restaurant has a staff of 75. "It's a labor-intensive industry, and the last thing we need is to get dinged for it,'' Rubin said.

One option the partners are considering is to set food and drink prices that aren't round figures -- say, $22.57 for a steak. That might prompt guests to ask why and give the restaurant an opportunity to talk about San Francisco's perceived impositions on small businesses.

"We want to create a groundswell of public opinion. We want it to resonate with the public that we are having to pass these charges along to them,'' Rubin said.

"Where we are headed for, you are not going to see those cool, little local restaurants. You are going to see a bunch of corporate restaurants, and the rest of the city is going to look like the restaurant dynamic on Fisherman's Wharf,'' Rubin said.

Many restaurateurs are hoping the suit filed by the 800-member Golden Gate Restaurant Association in federal court last year will give them relief. The suit seeks to invalidate the mandate that businesses with 20 or more employees pay for their health coverage, arguing that municipalities don't have the power to impose such requirements.

Association Executive Director Kevin Westlye, the former owner of the Franciscan on Fisherman's Wharf, said guests often react to menu price increases by buying down. When wild salmon moves from $22 to $25 they'll order filet of sole at $18 instead.

"The effects of these increases will be that ... people who might dine out three nights a week will dine out two nights," he said. "The best restaurants will continue to attract customers. It won't affect the top tier, but it will affect the next tier down. It will make the difference between profitability and lack of profitability.''

Ammiano said San Franciscans need health care, decent wages and sick leave.

"With education and cooperation most of this can be smoothed out," he said "But these things should have been taken care of in the past."

San Francisco Chronicle, George Raine