title: Parse string to int when string contains a number + extra characters
body: <p>Using Python, how can/should I parse a string that has a number, followed by other characters, to an int? The specific problem I am trying to solve is parsing the first number out of a string containing a number followed by an arbitrary amount of other characters, including, possibly other numbers, which I am not interested in.  </p>
  
  <p>For example, if the string is <code>"12//1"</code>  I need to get just the <code>12</code> to an integer.</p>