gistfile1.js

function strip_ends(str, ends) {
  var special = { '[' : ']',
                  '(' : ')',
                  '<' : '>',
                  '{' : '}' };

  if (str.charAt(0) == ends &&
      (str.charAt(str.length - 1) == ends ||
      str.charAt(str.length - 1) == special[ends])) {
    str = str.slice(1, str.length - 1);
  }
  return str;
}