text: 
  """
  Message reporting mechanism.  Avoids using the Python logging for a simpler approach.
  """
  
  from typing import Any
  import sys
  
  DEBUG_ON = True
  
  
  def debug(msg: str, **args: Any) -> None:
      """Report a debug message, if debug messages are turned on."""
      if DEBUG_ON:
          sys.stderr.write("DEBUG: {0}\n".format(msg.format(**args)))
  
  
  def note(msg: str, **args: Any) -> None:
      """Report a note message."""
      sys.stderr.write("NOTE: {0}\n".format(msg.format(**args)))
  
  
  def warn(msg: str, **args: Any) -> None:
      """Report a warning."""
      sys.stderr.write("WARNING: {0}\n".format(msg.format(**args)))
  
  
  def fatal(msg: str, **args: Any) -> None:
      """Report a fatal error.  Fatal errors are, well, fatal, and cause an immediate exit."""
      raise Exception(msg.format(**args))
  