docs: def configure_stream(level='WARNING'):
      """Configure root logger using a standard stream handler.
  
      Args:
          level (string, optional): lowest level to log to the console
  
      Returns:
          logging.RootLogger: root logger instance with attached handler
      """
      # get the root logger
      root_logger = logging.getLogger()
      # set the logger level to the same as will be used by the handler
      root_logger.setLevel(level)
  
      # customize formatter, align each column
      template = "[%(asctime)s] %(name)-25s %(levelname)-8s %(message)s"
      formatter = logging.Formatter(template)
  
      # add a basic STDERR handler to the logger
      console = logging.StreamHandler()
      console.setLevel(level)
      console.setFormatter(formatter)
  
      root_logger.addHandler(console)
      return root_logger