Restroom hand dryers have come a long way in recent years, but many people still prefer the old fashioned paper towel. The Wall Street Journal says dryer manufacturers aren’t giving up. The new generation of hand dryers promises to be more efficient and cleaner. One company describes the sensation as a “fresh breeze off the ocean.”

You don’t need an antenna to enjoy your favorite reruns these days. The Orange County Register says a few changes in technology have led to an explosion of classic television series’ being rerun on cable and through streaming video services. And it’s not just older viewers tuning in - Antenna TV says a good segment of its audience is in its 30s and 40s.

If you think you’re being asked to fill out more and more surveys - you’re right. The Boston Globe says the best known online survey platform, SurveyMonkey, is now processing survey responses at the rate of 2.2 million per day, up from 1 million a day in January 2013. Experts say companies want to get real-time feedback quickly, before negative reviews can spring up on social media. The surveys actually serve a dual purpose; to see how a company is doing and to gather information that might help draw more customers.

New York Daily News music critic Jim Farber says more Caucasian artists have risen to prominence in the past year than ever before - helping to transform the rap genre. From Grammy winners Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, to breakout star Iggy Azalea, industry experts say whiteness has become an advantage. Some observers wonder if rap will end up like rock and the blues, started by blacks but eventually dominated by whites.

One of soccer’s oddities came back to bite the United States in its 2-2 draw with Portugal on Sunday - stoppage time. In soccer, the game is over when the referee decides it is. At the end of each 45 minute half, the referee adds on an amount of time he or she feels will account for time lost to substitutions, injuries, goals and other delays. The New York Times says people in the soccer community have mixed feelings over whether this setup is part of the charm or in need of more clarification.

Robert Morris University in Chicago is looking for recruits for a new slate of athletic scholarships - aimed at gamers. The Chicago Tribune says the school will hand out 30 athletic scholarships to students who play the game “League of Legends.” The school’s associate athletic director says the game, while not physical, is like a sport in that you need to work as a team and know your role. Some students will receive scholarships worth about $19,000 — half the cost of Robert Morris’ tuition and room and board.

Looks like your mom was on to something when she told you to “sit up straight.” The Wall Street Journal says evidence is mounting that good posture contributes to a host of health benefits, from reducing back and joint pain to boosting one’s mood. Doctors say many people develop poor posture sitting in front of a computer and carry over that posture while standing and walking.

Rest stops are plentiful along the New Jersey Turnpike. Long before the highway was built - the Cedar Bridge Tavern welcomed travelers. It was a popular rest stop in the 1700s. The Newark Star-Ledger says Monmouth University students are spending the summer conducting an archaeological dig at the site. They’ve turned up relics from those early travelers - and from Native Americans who frequented the area even before the tavern was built.

Rail cars have been a key mode of transportation for automobile makers since the 1950s. But when Ford started producing its Transit cargo van, the company soon realized it had a problem. The van is 110 inches tall, but each level of the standard, double-decker auto transport rail car is only 90 inches. The Detroit News says Ford has modified hundreds of rail cars to keep shipments of the Transit van running smoothly.

Horseback riding skills were once a key part of the U.S. military. Now, USA Today says the military is placing a new emphasis on horsemanship. Horses are still seen as an effective way to move through the battlefield in certain situations. So troops, usually Army Special Forces soldiers, are being taught how to control, care for and load horses.

Suitors are lining up for a piece of Vice Media, with Disney, 21st Century Fox and Time Warner all clamoring for a piece of the company and its young audience. The New York Times says Vice could be valued at anywhere from $1.5 to $2.5 billion. Although Vice has only produced 11 hours of television programming, the company wants its own TV network, a movie deal and the maximum price for investors.

A Texas man has a new prosthetic hand, thanks to some local high school students studying advanced engineering. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram says the students designed and built the prosthetic hand using a 3-D printer and instructions from the internet about creating low-cost prosthetics. The hand cost the students less than $50 in materials.

Gluten-free products are everywhere. An estimated one-third of Americans are trying to avoid the element found in grain. But is going gluten-free actually good for you? The Wall Street Journal says many health experts believe there are no proven benefits to a gluten-free diet, unless you’re one of a small percentage of people whose bodies can’t process the protein. In fact, many gluten-free foods contain fewer vitamins, less fiber and more sugar.

Teen smoking is on the decline. Just 15.7% of U.S. high school teenagers were smokers in 2013 - that’s down from 27.5% when officials began tracking teen smoking rates in 1991 and down from a peak of 36.4% in 1997. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey also finds teens are drinking less alcohol and fewer sodas, getting into fewer physical fights and having less sex with more birth control.

In a city known for its architecture, Donald Trump’s 96-story Trump International Hotel along the Chicago River is not winning over many people - mostly because of the giant, “TRUMP” sign being put on it. The Chicago Tribune says the sign, while ugly, does follow Chicago’s rules and will likely stay. In an editorial, the paper says the scaffolding being used to erect the sign is attractive by comparison. The paper says it’s a shame because the building really is beautiful, but its sign strips away the building’s elegance.

A group of high school softball players in upstate New York learned a valuable lesson when after years of playing on a substandard field, they sued their school district in federal court - and won. The Buffalo News says the Batavia High School players were upset that the boys varsity baseball team played in a local minor league stadium, while their softball field had fallen into disrepair. The district has settled and agreed to make $175,000 worth of improvements.

The Washington Post says that in just 48 hours, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has become the front-runner in the race to replace Eric Cantor as Majority Leader. McCarthy is only in his fourth term, but fellow members of Congress says McCarthy is a master of relationships who has worked hard to reach out to members of the Republican party.

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk announced his company is suspending enforcement of its patents to encourage new electric car development. Musk says he’s frustrated more car companies haven’t been able to develop better electric cars. The longest range Tesla Model S gets about 300 miles per charge while most other current electric vehicles get around 100 miles per charge. USA Today says one reason for the unusual move is that Tesla is building a new battery plant and is likely looking for other customers.

I wonder if he’ll get a tip. Silicon Valley billionaire Scott McNealy is set to caddy for his son, an amateur golfer playing in this week’s U.S. Open. The San Jose Mercury News says the Sun Microsystems co-founder will lug his son Maverick’s clubs around the Pinehurst Resort & Country Club. Scott McNealy taught his son to play golf at an early age by having him aim for a lawn sprinkler in the backyard.

There’s a persistent rumor that Apple will eliminate the iPhone headphone jack, instead insisting that manufacturers go to Bluetooth or a headphone that plugs into the lightning charge port. The New York Daily News says that rumor has some Apple fans fuming, especially those who own headphones costing hundreds of dollars that would seemingly be incompatible with an iPhone 6. Removing a headphone jack would free up space for a bigger battery, more processing power or a better camera.

The Wall Street Journal says restaurants are pulling out all the stops to encourage diners to make 5:30 reservations, luring people in with sophisticated menus and online booking specials. Some say restaurants are more accommodating in the early evening. 5:30 seatings put restaurants at an advantage as well, helping the staff to essentially warm-up before being slammed by the 7 o’clock dinner rush.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s own writings reveal a portrait of a troubled man who struggled to maintain his mental stability - from the time he began basic training until the day he walked off his base in Afghanistan in 2009. Bergdahl’s close friend shared the contents of his journals, a laptop and other personal effects with the Washington Post because she said she’s concerned with how her friend is being portrayed.

Pollster Frank Luntz pens an Op-Ed in the New York Times explaining why no one predicted Rep. Eric Cantor’s stunning loss in the Republican primary. Cantor’s pollster predicted a 34-point lead 12 days before the election, yet Cantor lost by 11 points. Luntz says polls are only one part of the equation. Qualitative analysis, such as talking to voters to gauge their mood is just as important.

While most of our appliances have become energy efficient in recent years, most clothing dryers have not. A new report finds Americans waste $4 billion annually in energy costs by using inefficient dryers. USA Today says electric dryers typically use as much energy as an efficient new refrigerator, clothes washer and dishwasher combined. Regulators have mostly ignored the dryer in requiring energy efficiency upgrades since the 1970s.

Give me a hug. That’s the greeting preferred by more and more young guys, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. One researcher says the rise in male hugging can be directly tied to a decrease in homophobia. While more younger guys are embracing the embrace, the paper says it does trigger more awkward moments between millennials and older men who are more used to handshakes.

The Washington Post says this time of year, companies that work to scrub your online reputation see a surge in business, as new graduates look for help before they enter the workforce. But the companies will tell you that none of what they do is all that complicated. One important tip: If there is something bad about you out there, stop searching for it, otherwise Google will think it’s important and will include it in more results.

A judge’s ruling that California’s contract with teachers violates the state’s constitutional guarantee to an equitable education is likely to set off teacher tenure battles across the nation. In the Los Angeles Times, education professor Jack Schneider writes that the judge’s ruling will do nothing to solve the problem of teacher inequality. Schneider argues that veteran teachers stall out not because they have tenure, but because they lack guidance and support.

With demand for so-called 450 square foot micro-apartments expected to rise, General Electric set out to build an entire kitchen that could fit inside a 6-foot long chest of drawers. The Wall Street Journal says GE was able to cram 8 appliances, including two ovens, a sink, a dishwasher and two cooling drawers into the space. GE plans to share the designs with the public, looking for suggestions on how to improve them.

Visitors to Brazil for the World Cup won’t have to go far to see the economic inequality in Rio de Janeiro. USA Today’s Alan Gomez writes about visiting the biggest slum in Brazil. He says it’s separated from the high-priced hotels of São Conrado by only a four-lane road. I was there in April and saw first hand how sharp the contrast is between the haves and the have-nots in Rio.

The New York Times says House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s shocking loss to a Tea Party candidate in a Republican primary will likely pull the entire Republican party to the right and could doom any ambitious legislation, perhaps through the next Presidential election. The Times says Conservatives who have fueled showdowns on issues like immigration and raising the federal debt ceiling are likely to be emboldened by Cantor’s defeat. House leadership positions may now go to Republicans from solidly red states, not swing states like Speaker John Boehner’s Ohio and Cantor’s Virginia.