error using all()/numpy [TypeError: cannot perform reduce with flexible type]

[Marc Oldenhof]

Hello all,

I'm pretty new to Python, but use it a lot lately. I'm getting a crazy
error trying to do operations on a string list after importing numpy.
Minimal example:

[start Python]

Python 2.5.1 (r251:54863, Apr 18 2007, 08:51:08) [MSC v.1310 32 bit
(Intel)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

>>> a=['1','2','3']
>>> all(a)
True
>>> from numpy import *
>>> all(a)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\numpy\core\fromnumeric.py", line
982, in all
    return _wrapit(a, 'all', axis, out)
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\numpy\core\fromnumeric.py", line
37, in _wrapit
    result = getattr(asarray(obj),method)(*args, **kwds)
TypeError: cannot perform reduce with flexible type

[end of example]

It seems that Python calls numpy's "all" instead of the standard one,
is that right? If so, how can I call the standard "all" after the
numpy import? ["import numpy" is not a desirable option, I use a lot
of math in my progs]

Is there another way around this error?

Marc