diff --git a/misc.py b/misc.py
index 38e7e3e..2e55364 100644
--- a/misc.py
+++ b/misc.py
@@ -1,10 +1,135 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python2
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""Logging and utility functions."""
+
+import time
+import sys
+
+# Log levels: lower number = more verbose
+LOG_LEVELS = {
+    'debug': 0,
+    'info': 1,
+    'rate': 1,      # rate limiting info, same as info
+    'scraper': 1,   # scraper info, same as info
+    'stats': 1,     # statistics, same as info
+    'warn': 2,
+    'error': 3,
+    'none': 99,     # suppress all
+}
+
+# Failure categories for proxy errors
+FAIL_TIMEOUT = 'timeout'
+FAIL_REFUSED = 'refused'
+FAIL_AUTH = 'auth'
+FAIL_UNREACHABLE = 'unreachable'
+FAIL_DNS = 'dns'
+FAIL_SSL = 'ssl'
+FAIL_CLOSED = 'closed'
+FAIL_PROXY = 'proxy'
+FAIL_OTHER = 'other'
+
+# Levels that go to stderr
+STDERR_LEVELS = ('warn', 'error')
+
+# Default log level (info)
+_log_level = 1
+
+
+def set_log_level(level):
+    """Set minimum log level. Messages below this level are suppressed."""
+    global _log_level
+    if isinstance(level, int):
+        _log_level = level
+    else:
+        _log_level = LOG_LEVELS.get(level, 1)
+
+
+def get_log_level():
+    """Get current log level."""
+    return _log_level
+
+
+def _log(msg, level='info'):
+    """Log a message if it meets the current log level threshold.
+
+    Args:
+        msg: Message to log
+        level: Log level (debug, info, warn, error)
+    """
+    msg_level = LOG_LEVELS.get(level, 1)
+    if msg_level < _log_level:
+        return
+
+    output = sys.stderr if level in STDERR_LEVELS else sys.stdout
+    print >> output, '\r%s/%s\t%s' % (timestamp(), level, msg)
 
-import time, sys
 
 def timestamp():
-	"""Return formatted timestamp."""
-	return time.strftime('%H:%M:%S', time.gmtime())
+    """Return formatted timestamp."""
+    return time.strftime('%H:%M:%S', time.gmtime())
 
-def _log(strng, level='info'):
-	print '\r%s/%s\t%s' % (timestamp(), level, strng)
+
+def categorize_error(exc):
+    """Categorize a RocksockException into failure type.
+
+    Args:
+        exc: RocksockException instance
+
+    Returns:
+        One of FAIL_* constants
+    """
+    # Import here to avoid circular dependency
+    import rocksock
+
+    if not hasattr(exc, 'get_error'):
+        return FAIL_OTHER
+
+    error = exc.get_error()
+    errortype = exc.get_errortype()
+
+    # DNS resolution failures
+    if errortype == rocksock.RS_ET_GAI:
+        return FAIL_DNS
+
+    # SSL errors
+    if errortype == rocksock.RS_ET_SSL:
+        return FAIL_SSL
+    if error in (rocksock.RS_E_SSL_GENERIC, rocksock.RS_E_SSL_CERTIFICATE_ERROR):
+        return FAIL_SSL
+
+    # Timeout errors
+    if error in (rocksock.RS_E_HIT_TIMEOUT, rocksock.RS_E_HIT_READTIMEOUT,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_HIT_WRITETIMEOUT, rocksock.RS_E_HIT_CONNECTTIMEOUT):
+        return FAIL_TIMEOUT
+
+    # Connection refused
+    if error in (rocksock.RS_E_TARGET_CONN_REFUSED,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_TARGETPROXY_CONN_REFUSED):
+        return FAIL_REFUSED
+
+    # Authentication failures
+    if error in (rocksock.RS_E_PROXY_AUTH_FAILED, rocksock.RS_E_SOCKS4_NOAUTH):
+        return FAIL_AUTH
+
+    # Unreachable
+    if error in (rocksock.RS_E_TARGET_NET_UNREACHABLE,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_TARGETPROXY_NET_UNREACHABLE,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_TARGET_HOST_UNREACHABLE,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_TARGETPROXY_HOST_UNREACHABLE,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_TARGET_TTL_EXPIRED,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_TARGETPROXY_TTL_EXPIRED):
+        return FAIL_UNREACHABLE
+
+    # Connection closed
+    if error == rocksock.RS_E_REMOTE_DISCONNECTED:
+        return FAIL_CLOSED
+
+    # Proxy-specific errors
+    if error in (rocksock.RS_E_PROXY_UNEXPECTED_RESPONSE,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_TARGETPROXY_CONNECT_FAILED,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_PROXY_GENERAL_FAILURE,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_PROXY_COMMAND_NOT_SUPPORTED,
+                 rocksock.RS_E_PROXY_ADDRESSTYPE_NOT_SUPPORTED):
+        return FAIL_PROXY
+
+    return FAIL_OTHER