In 1998, in a dramatic competition sponsored by the Los Angeles City Council, Grandma Diane swept and cleared leaves off a designated area faster than a professionally operated power leaf blower. The petite grandmother's stunning victory inspired hundreds of thousands of suburbanites across the country tired of endless leaf blowing -- its nuclear fission-like noise, its cyclonic dust storms. And her victory gave hope to the 100s (actually 103) employees left in the rake industry that their jobs might last through the following year, rather than the end of the month....Learn about more heroes.