code: def deformat(value):
      
      output = []
      for c in value:
          if c in delchars:
              continue
          output.append(c)
      return "".join(output)
docs: REMOVE NON-ALPHANUMERIC CHARACTERS
  
      FOR SOME REASON translate CAN NOT BE CALLED:
          ERROR: translate() takes exactly one argument (2 given)
          File "C:\Python27\lib\string.py", line 493, in translate