MOST NOTEWORTHY: National City, Syntax Brillian and Medco Health were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of National City (NYSE: NCC) to Buy from Sell on valuation as they believe their $9.00 target is in-line with the company's franchise value.
  
• Baird upgraded Syntax Brillian (NASDAQ: BRLC) to Outperform from Neutral based on recently announced strategic initiatives and valuation.
  
• Jefferies upgraded shares of Medco Health (NYSE: MHS) to Buy from Hold as they believe the company's renewed PBM contract with United Healthcare (NYSE: UNH) removes a major overhang.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Friedman Billings raised Downey Financial (NYSE: DSL) to Market Perform from Underperform.
  
• Volterra (VNASDAQ: LTR) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Piper.
  
• Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) was raised at JP Morgan to Overweight from Neutral.

According to an article in today's USA Today, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH)'s United Healthcare has created a health insurance program that charges overweight smokers up to two grand more per year for health insurance. The sin premium adds a stick component to the wellness program carrot.

This idea seems like one that could be dramatically expanded, too. Tying behavior to insurance costs could be a great way to rein in our burgeoning expenses. How about:

• Doubling collision coverage cost for cell-phone drivers, lipstick appliers, and chicken-nugget dunkers?
• Eliminating coverage of hearing aids for iPod users?
• Reducing the coverage of carpal tunnel surgery for text messagers and video gamers?
• Demanding a higher premium for skin cancer coverage from frequent beach-goers?
• Refusing to cover the cost of treating high blood pressure for golfers?
• Raising the premium for allergy treatments for farmers?
• Extending the copay for dentistry for those found to chew sugar gum, tobacco, or nougat?
• Charging more for dermatology visits for those who choose to depilate "down there"?
• Increasing the cost for hair transplants for those who choose to have multiple children?

Pay to play has become an American obsession, and it's only fair that each person covers the cost of his or her indulgence, right? The concept of accepting one another's imperfections, and willingly pooling our exposures so that we all can receive help when we need it - too 20th century?

Last December, over 100 stocks were featured in our Top Picks for 2007 report. Now, at mid-year, we turn to the 20 advisors whose picks showed the strongest gains to get an update on their previous picks, as well as a new favorite stock for the second half of the year.

Dylan Jovine, editor of The Tycoon Report, chose RadioShack Corp. (NYSE: RSH) as his top pick. The stock had risen 100% as of June 1, 2007. The advisor recommends selling the shares.

His new recommendation for the second half of 2007 is United Healthcare Group (NYSE: UNH). The advisor asks, "How can you tell the difference between a buying opportunity and a 'value trap'? One way to do so is to separate the behavior of the stock price from the strength of the underlying business.

"For example, if a company has a strong underlying business that continues to grow (even as its stock price shrinks under the light of scandal), the inverse action of the stock going down while the business 'goes up' tends to lead to a buying opportunity.

"One great example of this is United Healthcare Group. Under the taint of the options back-dating scandal, last year Wall Street punished the stock by sending its shares down by nearly 30%, shaving off close to $20 billion in stock market value for a scandal that is expected to cost the company roughly $1.5 billion in restatements.