It takes nine months to train a new roller to make only a small cigar.

ECONOMIST: Cuban cigars

Roller derby's rise is a small fable of globalization that demonstrates the speed with which pop culture is now transported by highly mobile expatriates and social media, while also highlighting the changing role of women in many societies.

WSJ: As the World Turns, So Do the Wheels of Roller Derby

After all, the piano is such a welter of machinery: Push a key and before you hear a note, a small lever pushes against an intermediate lever, which pushes a jack, which pushes a roller, which pushes a hammer toward the strings.

NPR: Murray Perahia: Bonding With Bach And Chopin