def get_logging_level():
    '''get_logging_level will configure a logging to standard out based on the user's
    selected level, which should be in an environment variable called
    MESSAGELEVEL. if MESSAGELEVEL is not set, the maximum level
    (5) is assumed (all messages).
    '''
    level = os.environ.get("MESSAGELEVEL", INFO)

    # User knows logging levels and set one
    if isinstance(level, int):
        return level

    # Otherwise it's a string
    if level == "CRITICAL":
        return CRITICAL
    elif level == "ABORT":
        return ABORT
    elif level == "ERROR":
        return ERROR
    elif level == "WARNING":
        return WARNING
    elif level == "LOG":
        return LOG
    elif level == "INFO":
        return INFO
    elif level == "QUIET":
        return QUIET
    elif level.startswith("VERBOSE"):
        return VERBOSE3
    elif level == "LOG":
        return LOG
    elif level == "DEBUG":
        return DEBUG

    return level
get_logging_level will configure a logging to standard out based on the user's
    selected level, which should be in an environment variable called
    MESSAGELEVEL. if MESSAGELEVEL is not set, the maximum level
    (5) is assumed (all messages).