diff --git a/logging/log.go b/logging/log.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c63167
--- /dev/null
+++ b/logging/log.go
@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
+package logging
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"sync"
+)
+
+// A simple level-based logging system.
+// Note that higher levels of logging are still usable via Log()
+// Also, remember to call flag.Parse() near the start of your func main()
+const (
+	LogFatal = iota - 1
+	LogError
+	LogWarn
+	LogInfo
+	LogDebug
+)
+
+// These flags control the internal logger created here
+var fs = flag.NewFlagSet("logging", flag.ExitOnError)
+
+var (
+	file = fs.String("log_file", "",
+		"Log to this file rather than STDERR")
+	level = fs.Int("log_level", LogError,
+		"Level of logging to be output")
+	only = fs.Bool("log_only", false,
+		"Only log output at the selected level")
+
+	// Shortcut flags for great justice
+	quiet = fs.Bool("log_quiet", false,
+		"Only fatal output (equivalent to -v -1)")
+	warn = fs.Bool("log_warn", false,
+		"Warning output (equivalent to -v 1)")
+	info = fs.Bool("log_info", false,
+		"Info output (equivalent to -v 2)")
+	debug = fs.Bool("log_debug", false,
+		"Debug output (equivalent to -v 3)")
+)
+
+type Logger interface {
+	// Log at a given level
+	Log(int, string, ...interface{})
+	// Log at level 3
+	Debug(string, ...interface{})
+	// Log at level 2
+	Info(string, ...interface{})
+	// Log at level 1
+	Warn(string, ...interface{})
+	// Log at level 0
+	Error(string, ...interface{})
+	// Log at level -1, to STDERR always, and exit after logging.
+	Fatal(string, ...interface{})
+	// Change the current log display level
+	SetLogLevel(int)
+}
+
+// A struct to implement the above interface
+type logger struct {
+	// We wrap a log.Logger for most of the heavy lifting
+	// but it can't be anonymous thanks to the conflicting definitions of Fatal
+	log         *log.Logger
+	level       int
+	only        bool
+	*sync.Mutex // to ensure changing levels/flags is atomic
+}
+
+var internal Logger
+
+func init() {
+	// Make sure we parse logging flags, handle them separately
+	// to the standard flag package to avoid treading on toes
+	fs.Parse(os.Args[1:])
+
+	// Where are we logging to?
+	var out io.Writer
+	if *file != "" {
+		fh, err := os.OpenFile(*file, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0644)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("Error opening log file: %s", err)
+		} else {
+			out = fh
+		}
+	} else {
+		out = os.Stderr
+	}
+
+	// What are we logging?
+	var lv int
+	// The shortcut flags prioritize by level, but an
+	// explicit level flag takes first precedence.
+	// I think the switch looks cleaner than if/else if, meh :-)
+	switch {
+	case *level != 0:
+		lv = *level
+	case *quiet:
+		lv = LogFatal
+	case *warn:
+		lv = LogWarn
+	case *info:
+		lv = LogInfo
+	case *debug:
+		lv = LogDebug
+	}
+
+	internal = New(out, lv, *only)
+}
+
+func New(out io.Writer, level int, only bool) Logger {
+	l := log.New(out, "", log.LstdFlags)
+	return &logger{l, level, only, &sync.Mutex{}}
+}
+
+func (l *logger) Log(lv int, fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	if lv > l.level {
+		// Your logs are not important to us, goodnight
+		return
+	}
+
+	l.Lock()
+	defer l.Unlock()
+	lineno := bool((l.log.Flags() & log.Lshortfile) > 0)
+	// Enable logging file:line if LogWarn level or worse
+	if lv <= LogWarn && !lineno {
+		l.log.SetFlags(log.LstdFlags | log.Lshortfile)
+	} else if lv > LogWarn && lineno {
+		l.log.SetFlags(log.LstdFlags)
+	}
+	// Writing the log is deceptively simple
+	l.log.Output(2, fmt.Sprintf(fm, v...))
+	if lv == LogFatal {
+		// Always fatal to stderr too.
+		log.Fatalf(fm, v...)
+	}
+}
+
+func Log(lv int, fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	internal.Log(lv, fm, v...)
+}
+
+// Helper functions for specific levels
+func (l *logger) Debug(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	l.Log(LogDebug, fm, v...)
+}
+
+func Debug(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	internal.Debug(fm, v...)
+}
+
+func (l *logger) Info(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	l.Log(LogInfo, fm, v...)
+}
+
+func Info(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	internal.Info(fm, v...)
+}
+
+func (l *logger) Warn(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	l.Log(LogWarn, fm, v...)
+}
+
+func Warn(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	internal.Warn(fm, v...)
+}
+
+func (l *logger) Error(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	l.Log(LogError, fm, v...)
+}
+
+func Error(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	internal.Error(fm, v...)
+}
+
+func (l *logger) Fatal(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	l.Log(LogFatal, fm, v...)
+}
+
+func Fatal(fm string, v ...interface{}) {
+	internal.Fatal(fm, v...)
+}
+
+func (l *logger) SetLogLevel(lv int) {
+	l.Lock()
+	defer l.Unlock()
+	l.level = lv
+}
+
+func SetLogLevel(lv int) {
+	internal.SetLogLevel(lv)
+}
diff --git a/logging/log_test.go b/logging/log_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7575fa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/logging/log_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package logging
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+type mockWriter struct {
+	written []byte
+}
+
+func (w *mockWriter) Write(p []byte) (n int, err os.Error) {
+	w.written = append(w.written, p...)
+	return len(p), nil
+}
+
+func TestDefaultLogging(t *testing.T) {
+	w := &mockWriter{make([]byte, 0)}
+	l := New(w, LogError, false)
+	l.Log(4, "Nothing should be logged yet")
+	l.Log(LogDebug, "or yet...")
+	l.Log(LogWarn, "or yet!")
+	if len(w.written) > 0 {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected low-level logging output.")
+	}
+	l.Log(LogError, "Error!")
+	// Note: the below is deliberately fragile to ensure
+	// the right file:line is logged on errors. Sorry!
+	if s := string(w.written); s[20:] != "log_test.go:26: Error!\n" {
+		t.Errorf("Error incorrectly logged (check line numbers!)")
+	}
+}