Big boy toys: What's the deal with the leaf blowers?

I just just don't get the latest craze in yardwork -- the leaf blower. The proper way to get rid of leaves in my book is sweep them off the side walk and rake them off the lawn into bags or onto the compost pile. When you blow them around you are not getting rid of them at all -- just moving the problem around to a different location! LOL Leaves all over the street in front of your house looks just as bad as leaves on your lawn. What is up with that, is it just that it's fun to do?