E-mail pitches that begin "I am running the Boston Marathon dressed as a giant iPhone on Monday" remind me why I hate living on the route of the famous race. Runners and spectators from all over the globe invade my neighborhood, and neither contingent, as far as I can tell, ever bothers to visit the phalanx of Port-a-Johns that spring up like unwanted seasonal flowers at the end of the block. The street serves their needs just fine. And why use a trash can for empty beer bottles or half-eaten hot dogs when my building's courtyard is right there? The iPhone pitch came from Jason Jacobs, founder of RunKeeper, which helps runners and cyclists track their outdoor activities. Hey, Jason, can the app map out a route that takes the runners a dozen blocks from where I live? And if you see a giant Zune on your tail, get out of its way. Those things are prone to crashes.

—Posted by David Gianatasio