#aimed at the community in general its fine for a specific post to be about one thing

[cascadianights]

I dare someone to tell me on that last post that trans men actually have it way better once they transition and def aren't excluded by far more from our own community than trans women lmao fucking try me "queer womxns space for femmes and nonbinary people!!" asslickers

[freelancefuzion]

How Social Media Marketing Works?

Understanding Social Media Marketing: How It Works to Boost Your Online Presence

In today’s digital age, social media marketing has become an indispensable tool for businesses aiming to expand their reach, engage with their audience, and build a strong online presence. Whether you’re a small business owner, a marketer, or an entrepreneur, understanding how social media marketing works is crucial to your success. This guide will break down the mechanics of social media marketing, explaining its key components and offering insights into how you can leverage it to grow your brand.

For More Digital Marketing Tips Click Here

What Is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing involves using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others to promote your products, services, or brand. It’s a strategy that allows you to connect with your audience where they spend a significant amount of their time—on social media. By creating and sharing content tailored to your target audience, you can increase brand awareness, generate leads, and drive sales.

The Core Components of Social Media Marketing

Content Creation:

Content is the foundation of social media marketing. To captivate and engage your audience, you need to produce content that speaks directly to their interests and needs. This can include a variety of formats such as posts, videos, stories, and live streams. Effective content should not only be visually appealing and informative but also consistent with your brand’s voice and core values. The goal is to create material that resonates with your audience and encourages interaction

Audience Engagement:

Social media is more than a platform for broadcasting your message; it’s a space for meaningful interaction. Engaging with your audience involves actively responding to comments, joining conversations, and addressing their concerns. This two-way communication helps build trust, strengthens relationships, and fosters a sense of community around your brand. By showing that you value and listen to your audience, you enhance their connection to your brand and encourage ongoing engagement.

Social Media Advertising:

Paid advertising on social media platforms allows you to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This level of precision ensures that your content reaches the people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services. Social media ads can take many forms, including sponsored posts, carousel ads, video ads, and more.

Analytics and Metrics:

To understand the effectiveness of your social media marketing efforts, it’s essential to track and analyze key metrics. These might include engagement rates, reach, impressions, click-through rates, and conversion rates. By analyzing this data, you can fine-tune your strategy to achieve better results.

How Social Media Marketing Works to Boost Your Brand

Building Brand Awareness:

Social media platforms offer a broad audience that can significantly enhance your brand’s visibility. By consistently sharing high-quality and relevant content, you can effectively increase your brand’s presence and make it more recognizable to potential customers. Regular engagement and strategic posting help to build a strong brand identity, making it easier for your audience to remember and recognize your brand amidst the digital noise

Driving Traffic to Your Website:

By sharing links to your website on social media, you can drive traffic to your site. Whether it’s a blog post, product page, or landing page, social media is an effective channel for guiding users to your website, where they can learn more about your offerings.

Generating Leads and Conversions:

Social media marketing is a powerful tool for lead generation. By offering valuable content, promotions, or exclusive deals, you can encourage your audience to take action—whether that’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or contacting your sales team.

Enhancing Customer Loyalty:

Regularly engaging with your audience on social media helps to build a loyal customer base. By providing excellent customer service, responding to feedback, and showing appreciation for your followers, you can create lasting relationships that lead to repeat business.

The Importance of Strategy in SMM

Success in social media marketing doesn’t happen by accident; it requires a well-thought-out strategy. Here’s how to create one:

Define Your Goals:

Clearly outlining your objectives is crucial for effective social media marketing. Decide what you want to accomplish—be it boosting brand awareness, generating sales, or cultivating a community. Setting specific, measurable goals will provide direction and focus for your strategy, ensuring that all your efforts align with your overarching business aims and deliver the results you’re aiming for.

Know Your Audience:

Gaining a deep understanding of your target audience is essential for creating compelling content. Examine their demographics, interests, pain points, and online behaviors to develop a well-rounded profile. This insight allows you to tailor your content to address their specific needs and preferences, making it more relevant and engaging. By aligning your content with what genuinely matters to your audience, you foster stronger relationships and drive more impactful interactions.

Choose the Right Platforms:

Selecting the right social media platforms is key, as each one serves different functions and reaches distinct audiences. Determine which platforms are most popular with your target audience and align with your business objectives. For instance, Instagram and Pinterest are excellent for visually-driven content and are ideal for brands focused on lifestyle and consumer products, while LinkedIn is better suited

Create a Content Calendar:

Establishing a content calendar is crucial for ensuring consistency and aligning your posts with your overall marketing strategy. By scheduling your content in advance, you maintain organization and provide a regular stream of engaging and relevant content to your audience. A strategic content calendar also allows you to synchronize your posts with important dates and promotional events, enhancing the effectiveness of your social media efforts.

Monitor and Adjust:

Social media landscapes shift rapidly, so it’s crucial to stay adaptable. Regularly evaluate the performance of your posts and ads, using data to gauge effectiveness and pinpoint areas for improvement. Stay agile and be prepared to adjust your strategy based on these insights, ensuring your social media approach remains relevant and drives optimal results.

Conclusion

Understanding how social media marketing works is essential for anyone looking to grow their brand in today’s competitive digital landscape. By mastering the core components—content creation, audience engagement, social media advertising, and analytics—you can build a robust online presence that drives results. Remember, the key to success is a well-defined strategy that’s continuously refined based on insights and feedback. With the right approach, social media marketing can be a powerful engine for your business growth.

[rishiaca]

ChatGPT and Machine Learning: Advancements in Conversational AI

Introduction: In recent years, the field of natural language processing (NLP) has witnessed significant advancements with the development of powerful language models like ChatGPT. Powered by machine learning techniques, ChatGPT has revolutionized conversational AI by enabling human-like interactions with computers. This article explores the intersection of ChatGPT and machine learning, discussing their applications, benefits, challenges, and future prospects.

The Rise of ChatGPT: ChatGPT is an advanced language model developed by OpenAI that utilizes deep learning algorithms to generate human-like responses in conversational contexts. It is based on the underlying technology of GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), a state-of-the-art model in NLP, which has been fine-tuned specifically for chat-based interactions.

How ChatGPT Works: ChatGPT employs a technique called unsupervised learning, where it learns from vast amounts of text data without explicit instructions or human annotations. It utilizes a transformer architecture, which allows it to process and generate text in a parallel and efficient manner.

The model is trained using a massive dataset and learns to predict the next word or phrase given the preceding context.

Applications of ChatGPT: Customer Support: ChatGPT can be deployed in customer service applications, providing instant and personalized assistance to users, answering frequently asked questions, and resolving common issues.

Virtual Assistants: ChatGPT can serve as intelligent virtual assistants, capable of understanding and responding to user queries, managing calendars, setting reminders, and performing various tasks.

Content Generation: ChatGPT can be used for generating content, such as blog posts, news articles, and creative writing, with minimal human intervention.

Language Translation: ChatGPT's language understanding capabilities make it useful for real-time language translation services, breaking down barriers and facilitating communication across different languages.

Benefits of ChatGPT: Enhanced User Experience: ChatGPT offers a more natural and interactive conversational experience, making interactions with machines feel more human-like.

Increased Efficiency: ChatGPT automates tasks that would otherwise require human intervention, resulting in improved efficiency and reduced response times.

Scalability: ChatGPT can handle multiple user interactions simultaneously, making it scalable for applications with high user volumes.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations: Bias and Fairness: ChatGPT's responses can sometimes reflect biases present in the training data, highlighting the importance of addressing bias and ensuring fairness in AI systems.

Misinformation and Manipulation: ChatGPT's ability to generate realistic text raises concerns about the potential spread of misinformation or malicious use. Ensuring the responsible deployment and monitoring of such models is crucial.

Future Directions: Fine-tuning and Customization: Continued research and development aim to improve the fine-tuning capabilities of ChatGPT, enabling users to customize the model for specific domains or applications.

Ethical Frameworks: Efforts are underway to establish ethical guidelines and frameworks for the responsible use of conversational AI models like ChatGPT, mitigating potential risks and ensuring accountability.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the emergence of ChatGPT and its integration into the field of machine learning has opened up new possibilities for human-computer interaction and natural language understanding. With its ability to generate coherent and contextually relevant responses, ChatGPT showcases the advancements made in language modeling and conversational AI.

We have explored the various aspects and applications of ChatGPT, including its training process, fine-tuning techniques, and its contextual understanding capabilities. Moreover, the concept of transfer learning has played a crucial role in leveraging the model's knowledge and adapting it to specific tasks and domains.

While ChatGPT has shown remarkable progress, it is important to acknowledge its limitations and potential biases. The continuous efforts by OpenAI to gather user feedback and refine the model reflect their commitment to improving its performance and addressing these concerns. User collaboration is key to shaping the future development of ChatGPT and ensuring it aligns with societal values and expectations.

The integration of ChatGPT into various applications and platforms demonstrates its potential to enhance collaboration, streamline information gathering, and assist users in a conversational manner. Developers can harness the power of ChatGPT by leveraging its capabilities through APIs, enabling seamless integration and expanding the reach of conversational AI.

Looking ahead, the field of machine learning and conversational AI holds immense promise. As ChatGPT and similar models continue to evolve, the focus should remain on user privacy, data security, and responsible AI practices. Collaboration between humans and machines will be crucial, as we strive to develop AI systems that augment human intelligence and provide valuable assistance while maintaining ethical standards.

With further advancements in training techniques, model architectures, and datasets, we can expect even more sophisticated and context-aware language models in the future. As the dialogue between humans and machines becomes more seamless and natural, the potential for innovation and improvement in various domains is vast.

In summary, ChatGPT represents a significant milestone in the field of machine learning, bringing us closer to human-like conversation and intelligent interactions. By harnessing its capabilities responsibly and striving for continuous improvement, we can leverage the power of ChatGPT to enhance user experiences, foster collaboration, and push the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of artificial intelligence.

[spacemakerr]

Digital Marketting

Digital marketing is the use of online platforms and technologies to promote products, services, or brands to a targeted audience. It involves strategies like search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media engagement, and email campaigns to drive traffic, build brand awareness, and generate leads or sales. By leveraging digital tools and data analytics, businesses can reach their audience more effectively and measure the success of their marketing efforts in real time.

The Power of Digital Marketing: Transforming Business in the Modern Era

In today's fast-paced digital world, marketing has evolved far beyond traditional methods. Digital marketing, the use of online platforms and technologies to reach and engage with consumers, has become a cornerstone for businesses aiming to thrive in the 21st century. Its dynamic nature and wide array of tools offer unprecedented opportunities for brand growth, customer engagement, and market penetration.

Understanding Digital Marketing

Digital marketing encompasses various strategies and channels, including search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and more. Each of these elements plays a crucial role in crafting a comprehensive digital strategy that can drive measurable results.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is the practice of optimizing your website and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). By improving elements like keyword relevance, site structure, and user experience, businesses can enhance their visibility and attract organic traffic. Effective SEO practices ensure that your brand is easily discoverable by potential customers actively searching for relevant products or services.

2. Social Media Marketing: Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn offer unique opportunities for brand engagement. Through targeted advertising, regular posts, and interactive content, businesses can build a loyal community, drive traffic, and foster relationships with their audience. Social media marketing allows for real-time communication and provides valuable insights into consumer behavior.

3. Content Marketing: Content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract and engage a target audience. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, e-books, and more. High-quality content not only establishes your brand as an industry authority but also nurtures relationships with potential customers by addressing their needs and interests.

4. Email Marketing: Despite being one of the oldest digital marketing channels, email marketing remains highly effective. Personalized email campaigns can drive conversions, build customer loyalty, and keep your audience informed about promotions, new products, and company updates. Segmenting your email list and crafting compelling messages are key to maximizing the impact of your campaigns.

5. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: PPC advertising allows businesses to display ads on search engines and social media platforms, paying only when users click on the ads. This model provides a cost-effective way to drive targeted traffic to your website. PPC campaigns can be finely tuned to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, making it easier to achieve a higher return on investment (ROI).

The Benefits of Digital Marketing

1. Increased Reach: Digital marketing allows businesses to reach a global audience, breaking geographical barriers that once limited market potential. With the right strategies, even small businesses can compete on a larger stage.

2. Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to traditional marketing methods, digital marketing often requires a lower budget and offers more precise targeting options. This efficiency ensures that marketing dollars are spent effectively, reaching those most likely to convert.

3. Measurable Results: One of the greatest advantages of digital marketing is the ability to track and measure performance in real time. Analytics tools provide insights into campaign effectiveness, allowing businesses to adjust strategies and optimize for better results.

4. Enhanced Customer Engagement: Digital marketing channels facilitate direct interaction between businesses and consumers. This engagement fosters trust, builds brand loyalty, and provides valuable feedback that can inform future marketing efforts.

5. Flexibility and Adaptability: The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and digital marketing allows businesses to adapt quickly to new trends and technologies. This agility is crucial for staying ahead of competitors and meeting changing consumer expectations.

Crafting an Effective Digital Marketing Strategy

To harness the full potential of digital marketing, businesses need a well-defined strategy. Here are key steps to developing an effective approach:

1. Define Your Goals: Identify what you want to achieve with your digital marketing efforts, whether it's increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or boosting sales. Clear goals will guide your strategy and help measure success.

2. Know Your Audience: Understand who your target audience is, including their preferences, behaviors, and pain points. Tailor your marketing messages and channels to resonate with your audience and address their needs.

3. Choose the Right Channels: Select digital marketing channels that align with your goals and audience. Each platform offers unique benefits, so focus on those that will provide the best return on investment for your business.

4. Create Compelling Content: Develop content that is relevant, engaging, and valuable to your audience. High-quality content will drive traffic, build credibility, and encourage interactions with your brand.

5. Monitor and Optimize: Continuously track the performance of your digital marketing campaigns using analytics tools. Analyze data to identify what's working and what needs improvement, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Conclusion

Digital marketing is a powerful tool that can transform how businesses connect with their audience, drive growth, and achieve their goals. By leveraging the diverse range of digital channels and strategies available, companies can navigate the complexities of the modern market and establish a strong online presence. Embracing digital marketing is not just a choice but a necessity for success in today's interconnected world.

[jcmarchi]

BrushNet: Plug and Play Image Inpainting with Dual Branch Diffusion

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/brushnet-plug-and-play-image-inpainting-with-dual-branch-diffusion/

BrushNet: Plug and Play Image Inpainting with Dual Branch Diffusion

Image inpainting is one of the classic problems in computer vision, and it aims to restore masked regions in an image with plausible and natural content. Existing work employing traditional image inpainting techniques like Generative Adversarial Networks or GANS, and Variational Auto-Encoders or VAEs often require auxiliary hand-engineered features but at the same time, do not deliver satisfactory results. Over the past few years, diffusion-based methods have gained popularity within the computer vision community owing to their remarkable high-quality image generation capabilities, output diversity, and fine-grained control. Initial attempts at employing diffusion models for text-guided image inpainting modified the standard denoising strategy by sampling the masked regions from a pre-trained diffusion model, and the unmasked areas from the given image. Although these methods resulted in satisfactory performance across simple image inpainting tasks, they struggled with complex mask shapes, text prompts, and image contents that resulted in an overall lack of coherence. The lack of coherence observed in these methods can be owed primarily to their limited perceptual knowledge of mask boundaries, and unmasked image region context. 

Despite the advancements, research, and development of these models over the past few years, image inpainting is still a major hurdle for computer vision developers. Current adaptations of diffusion models for image inpainting tasks involve modifying the sampling strategy, or the development of inpainting-specific diffusion models often suffer from reduced image quality, and inconsistent semantics. To tackle these challenges, and pave the way forward for image inpainting models, in this article, we will be talking about BrushNet, a novel plug and play dual-branch engineered framework that embeds pixel-level masked image features into any pre-trained diffusion model, thus guaranteeing coherence, and enhanced outcome on image inpainting tasks. The BrushNet framework introduces a novel paradigm under which the framework divides the image features and noisy latent into separate branches. The division of image features and noisy latents diminishes the learning load for the model drastically, and facilitates a nuanced incorporation of essential masked image information in a hierarchical fashion. In addition to the BrushNet framework, we will also be talking about BrushBench, and BrushData that facilitate segmentation-based performance assessment and image inpainting training respectively. 

This article aims to cover the BrushNet framework in depth, and we explore the mechanism, the methodology, the architecture of the framework along with its comparison with state of the art frameworks. So let’s get started. 

Image inpainting, a method that attempts to restore the mission regions of an image while maintaining overall coherence has been a long standing problem in the computer vision field, and it has troubled developers and researchers for a few years now. Image inpainting finds its applications across a wide variety of computer vision tasks including image editing, and virtual try-ons. Recently, diffusion models like Stable Diffusion, and Stable Diffusion 1.5 have demonstrated remarkable ability to generate high-quality images, and they provide users the flexibility to control the semantic and structural controls. The remarkable potential of diffusion models is what has prompted researchers to resort to diffusion models for high-quality image inpainting tasks that align with the input text prompts. 

The methods employed by traditional diffusion-based text guided inpainting frameworks can be split into two categories, Sampling Strategy Modification and Dedicated Inpainting Models. The Sampling strategy modification method modifies the standard denoising process by sampling the masked regions from a pre-trained diffusion model, and copy-pastes the unmasked regions from the given image in each denoising step. Although sampling strategy modification approaches can be implemented in arbitrary diffusion models, they often result in incoherent inpainting results since they have limited perceptual knowledge of mask boundaries, and unmasked image region context. On the other hand, dedicated inpainting models fine-tune a image inpainting model designed specifically by expanding the dimensions of the input channel of the base diffusion model to incorporate corrupted image and masks. While dedicated inpainting models enable the diffusion model to generate more satisfactory results with specialized shape-aware and content aware models, it might or might not be the best architectural design for image inpainting models. 

As demonstrated in the following image, dedicated inpainting models fuse masked image latent, noisy latent, text, and mask at an early stage. The architectural design of such dedicated inpainting models easily influences the masked image features, and prevents the subsequent layers in the UNet architecture from obtaining pure masked image features due to the text influence. Furthermore, handling the generation and condition in a single branch imposes further burden on the UNet architecture, and since these approaches also require fine-tuning in different variations of the diffusion backbone, these approaches are often time-exhaustive with limited transferability. 

It might appear that adding an additional branch dedicated to extract masked image features might be an adequate solution to the problems mentioned above, however, existing frameworks often result in extracting and inserting inadequate information when applied directly to inpainting. As a result, existing frameworks like ControlNet yield unsatisfactory results when compared against dedicated inpainting models. To tackle this issue in the most effective manner possible, the BrushNet framework introduces an additional branch to the original diffusion network, and thus creates a more suitable architecture for image inpainting tasks. The design and architecture of the BrushNet framework can be summed up in three points. 

Instead of initializing convolution layers randomly, the BrushNet framework implements a VAE encoder to process the masked image. As a result, the BrushNet framework is able to extract the image features for adaptation to the UNet distribution more effectively. 

The BrishNet framework gradually incorporates the full UNet feature layer by layer into the pre-trained UNet architecture, a hierarchical approach that enables dense per-pixel control. 

The BrushNet framework removes text cross-attention from the UNet component to ensure pure image information is considered in the additional branch. Furthermore, the BrushNet model also proposes to implement a blurred blending strategy to attain better consistency along with a higher range of controllability in unmasked regions of the image. 

BrushNet : Method and Architecture

The following figure gives us a brief overview of the BrushNet framework. 

As it can be observed, the framework employs a dual-branch strategy for masked image guidance insertion, and uses blending operations with a blurred mask to ensure better preservation of unmasked regions. It is worth noting that the BrushNet framework is capable of adjusting the added scale to achieve flexible control. For a given masked image input, and the mask, the BrushNet model outputs an inpainted image. The model first downsample the mask to accommodate the size of the latent, and the masked image is fed as an input to the VAE encoder to align the distribution of the latent space. The model then concatenates the masked image latent, the noisy latent, and the downsampled mask, and uses it as the input. The features that the model extracts are then added to the pre-trained UNet layer after a zero convolution block. After denoising, the model blends the masked image and the generated image with a blurred mask. 

Masked Image Guidance

The BrushNet framework inserts the masked image feature into the pre-trained diffusion network using an additional branch, that separates the feature extraction of masked images from the process of image generation explicitly. The input is formed by concatenating the masked image latent, noisy latent, and the downsampled mask. To be more specific, the noisy latent provides information for image generation during the current generation process, and helps the framework enhance the semantic coherence of the masked image feature. The BrushNet framework then extracts the masked image latent from the masked image using a Variational AutoEncoder. Furthermore, the framework employs cubic interpolation to downsample the mask in an attempt to ensure the mask size aligns with the masked image latent, and the noisy latent. To process the masked image features, the BrushNet framework implements a clone of the pre-trained diffusion model, and excludes the cross-attention layers of the diffusion model. The reason is the pre-trained weights of the diffusion model serve as a strong prior for extracting the features of the masked image, and excluding the cross-attention layers ensure that the model only considers pure image information within the additional branch. The BrushNet framework inserts the features into the frozen diffusion model layer by layer, thus enabling hierarchical dense per-pixel control, and also employs zero convolution layers to establish a connection between the trainable BrushNet model, and the locked model, ensuring the harmful noise have no influence over the hidden states in the trainable copy during the initial training stages. 

Blending Operation

As mentioned earlier, conducting the blending operation in latent space resizes the masks that often results in several inaccuracies, and the BrushNet framework encounters a similar issue when it resizes the mask to match the size of the latent space. Furthermore, it is worth noting that encoding and decoding operations in Variational AutoEncoders have inherent limited operations, and may not ensure complete image reconstruction. To ensure the framework reconstructs a fully consistent image of the unmasked region, existing works have implemented different techniques like copying the unmasked regions from the original image. Although the approach works, it often results in a lack of semantic coherence in the generation of the final results. On the other hand, other methods like adopting latent blending operations face difficulty in preserving the desired information in the unmasked regions. 

Flexible Control

The architectural design of the BrushNet framework makes it a suitable choice for plug and play integrations inherently to various pre-trained diffusion models, and enables flexible preservation scale. Since the BrishNet framework does not alter the weights of the pre-trained diffusion model, developers have the flexibility to integrate it as a plug and play component with a fine-tuned diffusion model, allowing easy adoption and experimentation with pre-trained models. Furthermore, developers also have the option to control the preservation scale of the unmasked regions by incorporating the features of the BrushNet model into the frozen diffusion model with the given weight w that determines the influence of the BrushNet framework on the preservation scale, offering developers the ability to adjust the desired levels of preservation. Finally, the BrushNet framework allows users to adjust the blurring scale, and decide whether or not to implement the blurring operation, therefore easily customizing the preservation scale of the unmasked regions, making room for flexible adjustments and fine-grained control over the image inpainting process. 

BrushNet : Implementation and Results

To analyze its results, the BrushNet framework proposes BrushBench, a segmentation-based image inpainting dataset with over 600 images, with each image accompanied by a human-annotated mask, and caption annotation. The images in the benchmark dataset are distributed evenly between natural and artificial images, and also ensures even distribution among different categories, enabling a fair evaluation across different categories. To enhance the analysis of the inpainting tasks even further, the BrushNet framework categorizes the dataset into two distinct parts on the basis of the methods used: segmentation-based, and brush masks. 

Quantitative Comparison

The following table compares the BrushNet framework against existing diffusion-based image inpainting models on the BrushBench dataset with the Stable Diffusion as the base model. 

As it can be observed, the BrushNet framework demonstrates remarkable efficiency across masked region preservation, text alignment, and image quality. Furthermore, models like Stable Diffusion Inpainting, HD-Painter, PowerPaint, and others demonstrate strong performance on image inside-inpainting tasks, although they fail to replicate their performance on outside-inpainting tasks especially in terms of text alignment and image quality. Overall, the BrushNet framework delivers the strongest results. 

Furthermore, the following table compares the BrushNet framework against existing diffusion-based image inpainting models on the EditBench dataset, and the performance is comparable to the one observed on the BrushBench dataset. The results indicate the BrushNet framework delivers strong performance across a wide range of image inpainting tasks with different mask types. 

Qualitative Comparison

The following figure qualitatively compares the BrushNet framework against existing image inpainting methods, with results covering artificial intelligence and natural images across different inpainting tasks including  random mask inpainting, segmentation mask inside inpainting, and segmentation mask outside-inpainting. 

As it can be observed, the BrushNet framework delivers remarkable results in the coherence of the unmasked region, and the coherent regions, and successfully realizes the awareness of the background information owing to the implementation of the dual-branch decoupling approach. Furthermore, the untouched branch of the pre-trained diffusion model also provides the advantage of covering different data domains like anime and painting better, resulting in better performance across different scenarios. 

Final Thoughts

In this article we have talked about BrushNet, a novel plug and play dual-branch engineered framework that embeds pixel-level masked image features into any pre-trained diffusion model, thus guaranteeing coherence, and enhanced outcome on image inpainting tasks. The BrushNet framework introduces a novel paradigm under which the framework divides the image features and noisy latent into separate branches. The division of image features and noisy latents diminishes the learning load for the model drastically, and facilitates a nuanced incorporation of essential masked image information in a hierarchical fashion. In addition to the BrushNet framework, we will also be talking about BrushBench, and BrushData that facilitate segmentation-based performance assessment and image inpainting training respectively. 

[universalinfo]

A Closer Look at Carbon Black: Quality You Can Count On

When it comes to the intricate world of industrial products and materials, few components can claim their significance and widespread use as carbon black. This fine black powder plays a crucial role in numerous industries, from automobile manufacturing to the production of inks and paints. As such, partnering with a reliable carbon black supplier is paramount to ensure consistency and quality. In this post, we’ll delve into the critical attributes that make a carbon black supplier truly dependable and why you should never settle for anything less than the best.

The Importance of Purity and Consistency

Choosing a carbon black supplier who prioritizes purity and consistency is a game-changer. Carbon black, in its essence, should be free from contaminants to perform optimally. Industries that use carbon black in their processes or products need to be confident that the material they receive is of consistent quality, batch after batch. Any deviation can have repercussions, affecting the quality of the end product. For example, in tire manufacturing, a slight inconsistency in carbon black can compromise tire strength and longevity. Therefore, always opt for a supplier who has stringent quality control measures in place and who understands the pivotal role of purity in carbon black applications.

Responsiveness and Efficient Delivery

Time is of the essence in today’s fast-paced industrial world. A reliable carbon black supplier is not only about supplying a quality product but also ensuring that it reaches its destination promptly. Delays in deliveries can halt production lines, leading to financial losses and strained customer relationships. When selecting a supplier, look for those who have a proven track record of timely deliveries, responsive customer service, and a clear communication channel. Having a supplier who’s always a step ahead in addressing your needs makes a world of difference.

Commitment to Sustainability and Ethical Practices

While carbon black is undeniably essential, it’s equally important to consider its impact on the environment. An outstanding carbon black supplier does not just focus on the product but also its larger impact. Sustainable practices, such as recycling or using energy-efficient methods, show a supplier’s commitment to a greener future. Moreover, ethical practices in sourcing and production ensure that the carbon black you’re procuring is not only of top-notch quality but also produced without exploiting any resources or individuals. Always partner with suppliers who are transparent about their practices and are committed to making a positive difference.

Adherence to Industry Standards and Certifications

In the realm of industrial materials, standards and certifications serve as important benchmarks. For a carbon black supplier, they signify a commitment to excellence. Beyond the assurance of quality, certifications imply that a supplier operates with a level of professionalism that meets international best practices. For instance, ISO certifications might indicate that the supplier’s quality management system is robust and reliable. By choosing such a supplier, you’re indirectly elevating your own product’s quality. Regular audits, quality checks, and adherence to safety protocols are all aspects you can expect from a supplier who values industry standards with CFI Carbon Products.

Flexibility and Customization

The vastness of industries that utilize carbon black, from rubber compounds to pigments, means that one size doesn’t fit all. A premier carbon black supplier understands this variability. They don’t just offer a generic product but aim to understand your unique requirements. For instance, the carbon black used in a high-performance tire might differ from that in a printer cartridge. The ability to offer bespoke solutions, cater to specific particle sizes or grades, and even adapt to changing requirements demonstrates a supplier’s expertise and commitment. This adaptability can be a crucial factor, especially when your production needs evolve or when you’re innovating a new product.

Technical Support and Knowledge Sharing

Beyond the product itself, a top-notch carbon black supplier is often willing to share knowledge and offer technical support. Given the technical nature of carbon black applications, having access to a knowledgeable team can be invaluable. Whether you’re troubleshooting a specific issue, trying to understand the best grade for your application, or even exploring potential innovations, a supportive supplier can serve as an extended arm of your research and development team. Their expertise garnered over years of specialization, can provide insights that are both time-saving and cost-effective.

Conclusion

The significance of carbon black in various industries is undeniable. However, its value is not just in its inherent properties but also in the quality assurance that a reliable supplier brings. As industries evolve, so do their demands for consistency, purity, and innovation. By partnering with a carbon black supplier who prioritizes adherence to standards, offers customization, and provides unwavering technical support, you’re ensuring a smooth operational flow and a product that stands out in the market. As you evaluate potential suppliers or seek to strengthen existing partnerships, remember that quality, reliability, and support are the trifecta that sets the best apart from the rest. Your pursuit of excellence deserves nothing less.

Learn More:Organic Filler Materials

Carbon Black Fillers

[felidthing]

there is a weird attitude around special interests. for the most part people are fine with whatever specific thing youre into, and you get varying results on how much someone will listen to/exist around any prolonged talking about it. most people will accept that your "special interest" is "thing i really really like. favorite thing" but that isnt the full scope of what restricted interests are.

im mainly thinking about this because ive remembered again that almost all books ive read outside of school, for as long as i can remember, have been the warriors series. ive read and enjoyed other books when i havent had access to warriors, but absolutely nothing compares to the hold warriors has on me. this is a series aimed at preteens that ive been reading since i was 8. im almost 22. i havent read most classic literature or YA novels or much of any fiction actually aimed at my age group. i have read even less nonfiction. i read warriors. i talk a lot about warriors. i only care about warriors.

im aware its a crying shame that i dont read much. sometimes i wish i read more than warriors. but i extremely do not appreciate it when people make posts about how bad it is that people arent reading more, or arent reading the right kinds of things, as if its a moral failing or the sole reason there are bad opinions online (sometimes straight up saying or implying this). i dont appreciate it when these posts come onto my dash. people arent bad or failures because you dont think theyre doing reading right. i know that a lack of experience/exposure to Critical Thinking that certain books make you do can have negative impacts on how someone thinks or communicates/interacts, but i really dont think its helpful to give this unsolicited advice with all its implications and generalization and assumptions

this is specifically about special interests so i havent gone into the other reasons people dont/cant read in a satisfactory way to internet strangers but boy howdy it gets messy when this unsolicited advice generalizes so hard

[vaspider]

Okay, we need to back up about six fucking steps because I generally respect a lot of y'all, but like, this post was fucking disgraceful and I'm really embarrassed to have read that ask and the response. Holy fucking shit.

First of all, I'm gonna say up front that I do not disagree even a tiny bit with the idea that goyische queers need to chill on the Holocaust comparison, and also, in case anyone missed this, I am also Jewish. Cool? Cool.

What do you think they are trying to destroy right now?

Do you think maybe it's community and culture that they're trying to destroy by taking aim at the places where we gather (drag shows, public queer events, Pride)? Do you think maybe it's community and culture they're trying to destroy by banning books which discuss who we are, our history, our shared culture? Do you not remember that like 90% of the arguments that older queers have with younger queers on here result from a loss of continuous culture because so many people fucking died from a deliberate attempt to wipe out our culture via medical neglect that our communities collapsed and fell apart, and had to be slowly, painstakingly reconstructed, an act which is still continuing? Have y'all forgotten how the vast majority of discussions on Tumblr 5 to 10 years ago were us olds dredging up lost writing and paperwork, giving people reading assignments, because the culture was so effectively decimated by AIDS? Has it slipped your mind that the big issues we're having with transandrophobia and transmisogyny in general stem from a loss of historical understanding, because these younger queers have no fucking idea how much they've bought into political lesbian/gendercrit bullshit, since they don't have that continuous cultural knowledge? Have you forgotten that the first books that the Nazis burned were trans and queer books, the books which documented research into our lives, the books which wrote about our lives, our memoirs, our stories, our fucking culture? And that this happened because they called queerness 'the Jewish disease'? Like, what the fuck, y'all. Either we hang together or we all hang separately.

Yes, they are trying to stop trans people from coming out, they are trying to prevent us from getting medical care, and also a lot of these things are specifically aimed at destroying queer culture, a thing which so verifiably exists that we had to create an entire set of disciplines -- Queer Theory and Queer Studies -- to document and discuss it.

How fucking disrespectful can you be to respond in such a way to people's terror about the destruction of a community, of a culture, which is just starting to recover from the absolute decimation it underwent four decades ago? Like, of all people, you'd think that we'd get it. How ironic, that you're dismissing people's fears over destruction of culture like this. How fucking heartless can you be to see a community and a culture fearing for its future, while being a part of a culture which prides itself on its internal diversity and tenacity, and say 'well, even if they kill all of you, there will be new queer people born, and if they kill all the Jews, there won't be a community to induct-- '

Like, do you hear yourselves? At all? Even a little bit?

Yes, there will be new queer people born -- into a world without a queer culture to care for them. Into a world without a queer culture to make sure that they have the chance to figure out who they are. Into a world without a queer culture to give them somewhere to land if and when their birth families reject them. Into a world without a queer culture to fight for their civil rights, to defend their civil rights. Into a world without a queer culture to provide them with a place to experience queer joy, into a world where they have to recreate queer culture from the ground up. In that world you so casually dismiss as 'oh well more queers will be born, so it's fine actually', the queer culture we have now? It's dead. It's gone. That would be an unspeakable loss, even if a new queer culture could be created, because the queer culture we have now, the culture of Leslie Feinberg (z''l), Betty Berzon (z''l), Lesely Gore (z''l), the culture of Claude Cahun (z''l), Harvey Milk (z''l), Magnus Hirschfeld (z''l)... that would be gone.

How can you listen to old stories like the gay person who used to call a local queer bar and just listen for a minute or two to the sounds of queer people being allowed to be together, joyful, and use the knowledge that this culture existed to survive even though they couldn't be part of that culture safely, and respond like this to people's fears?

Holy fucking shit, I cannot believe you. There is no excuse for your own hurt feelings -- however justifiably hurt they are, and however badly someone else behaved -- turning into you ... doing this. It is -- shocking, I know -- possible to call someone out on their bad behavior without engaging in this kind of absolute shit take yourself.

There is a space in which we -- goyische and Jewish queers -- can discuss what's going on right now, the attempts at genocide which are in fact ramping up right now, without being disrespectful to each other or dismissing each other's fears. This? This was shameful, and it was especially shameful because you should know better, and because I know you're better than this.

What goyische queer people don't get is that if anyone in history had been successful in their goal of wiping out all the Jews in the world, there would be no more Jews. Forever. Even though we have conversion, you can't convert without a community. The Jewish people would become extinct like so many other ancient people that historians today struggle to interpret and reconstruct.

Nobody will ever be successful in wiping out the entirety of queer people because queerness is random and not inherited. Queer people will always be born.

That's the difference. That's why there's at least more than ten times more queer people in the world than there are Jews. That's why so many Jews have severe extinction anxiety. Because eradicating Jews entirely from the world is possible- eradicating queer people entirely is impossible.

this is such a good point!!! and it’s something i really don’t think queer gentiles grasp.

[rantrambles]

Ever get so upset you make a Tumblr account to vent?

I haven’t even listened to The Penumbra Podcast yet but it’s on my list because it’s insanely popular and the cosplays I’ve seen are hot as hell (A+ to all the cosplayers I’ve seen you’ve done great work). Now, with the recent news surrounding the podcast, I’ll wait till it’s done if I ever do get into it. I’m Asian and part of the LGBT community but I’m not nonbinary so I can’t say much about the trans represention in the art but I wanted to add my two cents on the matter as a person of color and someone examining the situation from the outside. Also, before I get deeply into it, I’m not the only person of color with opinions on this matter so if people have their own frustrations and criticism with the racism in The Penumbra Podcast and/or the new artist they hired, definitely listen to them too. These are my own personal opinions, and I’m sure other people will disagree and that’s fine. We’re all going to have different views on this so bear that in mind. Also, feel free to correct me or add anything if I’ve missed some information. Here’s a great breakdown of the whole situation for those that don’t know what happened. Finally, I was very hesitant to post this, but I felt it was important because I make a statement at the end on how race should be presented in a podcast format so if you are interested in making a podcast and want to have a diverse range of characters, please skip to the end to read those thoughts.

I’ll start off by saying, I’m not even that upset with the new artist that The Penumbra Podcast hired. I know that statement alone is controversial but I don't personally know them, and I’m not going to judge who they are as a person by a few pieces of art they’ve made. They are the least of the problems that I have here. Since the announcement and the backlash, I’ve been scrolling through the artist’s Instagram account and I can tell why people find the designs offensive, but I’m also comparing the designs to the artist’s other work, and I honestly believe that’s just their style. They’ve exaggerated the features of just about every character they’ve made, regardless of race or gender. From what I’ve seen the sharp angles and overly round curves in the anatomy that make some of the character’s features more jarring are how they prefer to draw. I’m sure they’re capable of drawing more realistic proportions but for the most part they’re art aims to call attention, be bold, and create distinguished features. Not inherently a bad thing on its own.

And yeah I’d understand the issue if this were a scenario where the artist heard how these characters acted in the podcast and thought “hey, obviously this character is a black woman because they are super strong and therefore must have big muscles, no other woman could look like that” or “hey, this character has to be Asian because they act super seductive sometimes better draw them as such.” But from my understanding the race was already decided by previous official artists and a general description of the characters were already generated by the audience, similar to how The Magnus Archives leaned towards drawing scrawny Jon with black, greying hair and dark skin. The new artists couldn’t really change those features even if those features aren’t described in canon because a depiction that strayed too far from popular fandom interpretation would make the character’s unrecognizable to the fanbase. 

I think the reason this became such a big issue for most people is because the new Penumbra artist used their exaggerated art style when making these characters and people of color and nonbinary folks already see themselves drawn as these exaggerated caricatures all the time (with those images being used to further discriminate against them). I’m sure the artist didn’t mean for their art to be offensive, but that of course doesn’t change how it was received. 

According to some, the poses and expressions the artists chose did not fully represent the characters entirely and only served to further perpetuate harmful stereotypes, and I’ll have to take their word for it because I still haven’t listened to the podcast so I have no idea how the characters act. But again much of the criticism is based on the one line-up and doing a deeper dive into the artist’s work I managed to find artwork that was much less offensive. Here some art where Vespa is depicted in a non-violent pose and one where Vespa is in a threatening pose but not an overly violent one. Here is Peter drawn in a non-seductive pose. Hopefully, the artist truly does keep the criticisms in mind as they work on the new official art. I’m just not the type of person that wants to get the pitchforks out and cause this particular person to lose a job they seemed really excited about over their old character line-up, especially when that person is also part of a marginalized group.

Again, that’s just my opinion on that particular artist. Those who are offended by their art are still valid in how they feel, and the artist should absolutely take their criticism to heart to better how they represent the characters.

What I’m more upset about is that I think The Penumbra Podcast should never have released official art for their characters in the first place and that’s their mistake that they refuse to own up about. They have made it clear that the story was never meant to portray characters of colors, a fact emphasized by the fact they hired mostly white actors from the start. They only started releasing art of the characters to get a profit. And the thing is they know what they did was wrong. All I had to do was search Penumbra Podcast racism and there is a note on their website saying that they archived some old official art.

“We have discontinued all Penumbra merchandise that uses the original character designs, and in the meantime, any profits on the sales of that merchandise will go to the For The Gworls project. We also realize that the depiction of these characters as POC, while not appropriate for us to use in our marketing and merchandise, has nonetheless become personally meaningful to many POC listeners. For that reason, and because we do not wish to distance ourselves from our mistake, we are keeping these images on our website for archival purposes. Though we do want to make it clear that many of the main/featured voice actors are white and that we did not write the characters to represent any specific POC experience, you are, as always, free to imagine these characters in any way that you like.”

I went to their shop and they still sell posters and pins with the character’s faces on them, but they are donating it to a good cause so hopefully that stays the same. However, I still find it a little uncomfortable that they are still selling character merch and have plans to continue selling character merch. They have no right to dissuade the fans that already found representation in the characters, but they also have no right to profit off the representation that was built, regardless if they made the story. 

Let’s compare this to another piece of popular media. I love Avatar the Last Airbender and, I liked the ATLA voice actors just fine but there should have been more people of color doing voice acting behind the screen too. The voice actors for that show were mainly white too, however, the creators knew that they would be making poc characters. That’s what makes the difference. Did they still choose to go with mostly white voice actors? Yes. Could they have done better and pay more people of color? Also yes. But I’m not as furious at them because they did their research on the cultures they were basing the ATLA world off of and intentionally gave us a show where Asians could see characters that looked like them represented on the screen. The Penumbra Podcast did not do any of that. Again, they openly admitted that it was never their intention to make the character’s people of color when they made the podcast so that goes to show no research was made to properly represent specific cultures. The color of the character’s skin in their official designs therefore became more of aesthetic choice rather than representation, and it wasn’t even their aesthetic choice to begin with!

Race isn’t a color you can just throw onto the character because you feel like it. So I want this to be a lesson to anyone that wants to make a podcast: if you want to include poc characters please do some research into the cultures you plan to represent the way you would with any other form of media. Just because the audience can’t see the characters and just because it’s harder to smoothly introduce the character’s appearance doesn’t mean you’re allowed to be lazy on how you present the characters. Do research before you start writing the first episode and take the time to hire poc actors. Hiring poc actors is actually the least that can be done to show representation. Also, since the audience cannot visually see the race of the characters on a podcast and it can’t typically be described the way you would in a book, you’ll have to be creative. It’s not my job to say how, but my suggestions would be, before the fans come up with their own image of the character, you need to establish race in the first few episodes or release character profiles on a website so that the fans know you canonically intended the characters to be of a certain race even if you aren’t able to mention it in the actual podcast. If you are unwilling to do any of these then the best route is to avoid stating race at all and allow the audience to build their own representation into your form of media. However, once this happens, you are not allowed to profit off popular fan interpretations. You lose all rights to create official art or images of the characters. You cannot use “we have a diverse cast of characters” when you market your story. It doesn’t matter whether you created the content or not, you did not create the representation for those minority groups.

It’s one thing for fans to build their own inclusivity into a form of art like a podcast, but it’s another thing for the creators who never worked to make the representation happen to take advantage of the representation that the listeners built for themselves. Thank you for attending my TedTalk.

[madam-agony]

Hello. I am Madam Agony. (sometimes I go by "Karimei")

I am, unfortunately, the person stuck in the conflict with pro-shippers vs antis on Twitter. More specifically, the Amberlotl situation.

I decided to write this post because I want to express my point of view, what I think about this whole drama, and what are my personal feelings. I want to do this here because on Twitter I couldn't.

I'll explain firstly how this happened at the very beginning.

If you still want to read, then be my guest.

I come from the fandom of "Madness Combat". Being in this fandom made me understand what kind of people I was getting myself into. The fandom is hypocritical and chaotic, careless and indifferent with other people's feelings.

They were perfectly fine with gore and other horrible crimes, but they always drew the line at any other immoral topics.

Seeing how people in the fandom behaved pissed me off disgracefully. I saw the way pro-shippers were being treated and how much hate was on their backs. Then it hit me... What if I wrote problematic fanfiction about two Madness Combat characters? One of them being a minor and the other an adult.

I wanted to be the person who represented the pro-shippers community inside the Madness Combat fandom. I wanted the fear of getting harassed over fiction to be over. It was so frustrating and saddening seeing how people were too scared to post their creations online for the fear they could get harassed.

I acknowledged I was only one individual and didn't have that much power, but I knew if I dared to do something about it then I could perhaps make a difference.

The moment I posted the fics I took responsibility and understood that I will get tons of death threats and harassment. And the result was? 100+ comments in one day, 90% of them were hate comments full of atrocities.

Little did they know, none of the comments made me back up on my decision, so I decided to write even more... Until one night, a kind-hearted person announced me in the comments that some individuals were planning on doxxing me.

At first, I was confused, but only the thought of it made me shiver. I refused to believe it had come to the point where people can't share their works or thoughts online because some people would consider it "immoral".

I discussed with the person in Discord DMs about the problem. They showed me multiple screenshots as proof of what those people were planning on.

I didn't post all of the screenshots on Twitter, only the ones who showed what they were planning on. The other screenshots that weren't posted were showing them being straight-up jerks, talking about how pro-shippers should die, etc.

You could just imagine.

The things shown in the screenshots were so disappointing. They were describing how they wanted to punch me in the throat. All of this because I wrote fanfic they didn't like.

The person who announced me and a couple of other individuals reported them that night, and thankfully, they got banned.

The day they got banned one of my friends showed me how one of the people who tried doxing me was complaining on Twitter about how their Discord account got banned due to some "stuff" they refused to talk about.

I looked at the replies to their complaint and then, at that exact moment, something snapped in me. I'm not even going to exaggerate, something fucking snapped inside me.

The disgust I had for that person. They had the balls to complain about their account getting deleted while ignoring what they were intending to do. People were fucking babying them in the comments acting like nothing happened.

Then I did it. I made a new account just to show the fandom how their so-beloved popular artist was capable of even considering doxing someone.

I was intending only for the Madness Combat fandom to know about this, but. the fact that most of the people feeling bad about me were pro-shippers from other fandoms. The people in the intending fandom didn't even care! They were only saying "Ewww I hate pro-shippers and I don't support them like what the actual fuck! but MAYBE this was a little too far... 🤡". That's all they were capable of saying.

I am truthfully disgusted by this fandom. I love Madness Combat and all of its characters, but the fandom is not gentle with your emotions and it doesn't respect nor care about you. Of course, generalizing might look a little exaggerated as there are people I know who are decent and civilized, but that's the Madness Combat fandom.

Sweet, don't you think?

I don't regret any of this happening. I don't want to be seen as that "one kid who got doxxed" but as a person with an experience that people can learn from. This is the result of people refusing to take other perspectives. The ideology of antis and their wicked way of thinking.

No words can reward what victims of this kind of stuff go through daily. And even to this day, people are still hating on me, wishing bad things to happen to me, but I don't care.

I know what I am aiming for and I'm determined to go through all of the bullshit antis and frustrated people throw at me. I am strong, and I will never doubt my strength.

I will continue supporting pro-shippers and hopefully be the shoulder they can lay on. I'm not a carpet you can just walk on, I am more than that.

And you, the one reading this, pro-shipper or anti. Please, think firmly before you do something because it might come back to you in the shape of an angel or a demon, depending on what you did.

Receiving one comment of support/love surrounded by hate comments made me realize how much it means and how you have the power of making someone's day just by being kind to them.

I wish I could say more, but I want to remain on my point and not deviate from the subject, so here you go.

Additionally, if anyone wants to ask me something, vent to, or even just chat with... Then you can have my Discord: Thiccy#0001. Or you can message me here if you'd like.

With that being said, I wish you a nice day/night.

Did I mention it went to the point where a Discord staff had to message me to help me because the situation was getting out of control? I am thankful they did it though, it means a lot.

[do-a-reference-properly]

AO3′s users alert! Unauthorised fanworks copying

26/09/2019. Important update on this mess: we found a way to delete fanworks via take down request to the hosting provider. Please check it here https://do-a-reference-properly.tumblr.com/post/187926459079/finally-some-good-news

Dear AO3 users,

We would like to bring your attention to an ugly situation with unauthorized copying of works posted on AO3.

A lot of works from AO3 have been copied to fanfics.me (we’ll call this site FFM for brevity’s sake) and are still being copied right now, either:

— automatically by a code specifically created by FFM’s owner for this purpose, or

— by unaware or unscrupulous FFM’s users via semi-automatic method (by inserting a link to a work from AO3 into a web-worm on FFM).

All works from AO3 — with a few exceptions (I’ll elaborate on this below) — can end up on FFM without authors even noticing. Even fanarts or podfics.

FFM doesn't comply with DMCA which means that such reposts endanger fanworks' creators in case the copyright holder demands to delete the fanwork.

Authors of the copied works do not have any control over them; if the work is edited it won’t be updated on FFM until someone manually updates it.

Additionally FFM’s owner makes money out of reposted free fanworks from numerous Google and Yandex ads on each and every FFM’s page by having people go to this site when searching for fics on Google etc. So we recommend using an Ads Blocker when visiting this site in order to prevent the owner from earning more. Ghostery or Adblock Plus work just fine, but you can use any other Ads Blocker that is convenient to you.

Oftentimes FFM even shows up before the original post with the work on Google search results.

The owner’s e-mail: refery@fanfics.ru.

The owner at AO3.

We are trying to bring AO3’s users attention to this situation and help authors with taking their works down from FFM.

 Briefly about the website and its owner

Let me start from the very beginning as it will bring into the light the nature of FFM and give a good example of its owner characteristic behavior.

At first, some person with nickname Refery created FFM as a web archive where authors — mostly from Harry Potter fandom — could publish their fanworks.

Time passed, the site grew and added some features (blogs, pre-moderation and etc.), and all was good and well up till the moment when Refery decided that it would be a great idea to copy to FFM fanworks published on other Russian fanfiction archives — among them from the biggest and most known site ficbook — without asking authors for permission. Even those works that had “Ask me before posting the story somewhere else” mentioned in its text or summary were copied.

For some time nobody noticed, but when finally and inevitably this came out the authors were outraged. It took a lot of time to finally persuade Refery to at least not to copy fanworks bearing a special tag “Уточнять у автора” (Ask the author first).

But after some time Refery — without giving any notice — violated his own promise and resumed copying to FFM fanworks that had the agreed upon tag. The authors complained again, so very reluctantly and after many painful discussions this feature was reinstalled.

So FFM has been notoriously known, mostly amongst Russian fandom, for claims on re-posting fanworks without the consent of the authors.

We're mentioning this situation just to give you a detailed portrait of a person we are dealing with here.

Not only fanworks are copied to this website, but original works, too. Even those which were already published. There were all 7 of Harry Potter novels (both original text and translation), The Hobbit: There and Back Again (translation) and Vorkosigan Saga (translation) available for everybody to read and download. They were taken down only recently due to the attention this whole situation had drawn, but nothing ever goes away once it’s posted online and you can access the proof via Internet Wayback machine. We know for a fact there are other books on FFM and some actions have been taken in this regard, but still it takes time to find published books on this site.

Recently Refery decided that Russian archives are not enough for him and started copying all fanworks into FFM without any permission from the authors from numerous sites, like AO3, fanfiction.net, fictionpress.com, fanfiktion.de and likely other web-archives.

Moreover, the authors of these works can not delete their works from FFM and/or manage them. The site is in Russian only and, hence, we strongly believe that non-Russian speaking authors even do not know that their works are reposted somewhere else.

As a Russian fan-community, we have tried to stop such activity of FFM many times; however, we have not been successful in achieving our goal completely. Our most recent achievement is that the FFM’s owner implemented the "Don't copy to another site" tag created specifically for AO3 (here is the link to FFM’s owner post on his personal blog regarding this tag. Please use Ads Blocker!). This tag should be added to each work presented on AO3 in case the author does not want their works to be copied to FFM.

We are of the opinion that no work should be taken without permission in the first place, but this tag is all we’ve got.

Please note that it seems that some time ago there was similar case of unauthorized copying with other site. Please check this link, they give useful advice.

How to prevent copying from AO3

If you check AO3 you may notice that "Don't copy to another site" tag has hugely emerged in the recent weeks, but mostly amongst Russian users and there is a good reason for this: the owner of FFM announced this tag only in Russian and only on his private blog, so naturally there is no way for non-Russian speaking AO3 users to know about this — albeit non-satisfactory — solution.

There are no guaranties that the FFM’s owner won’t change the rules again as has already happened numerous times before (few examples we described above) and that works with this tag won’t be reposted in the future, but for now it’s the only quick and working solution besides making your works visible only to registered users, which is not ideal. 

This situation is highly unpleasant, but we ask you not to delete your works from AO3, because if the work is deleted from AO3 it will be nearly impossible to delete it from FFM: we won't be able to refresh it manually and remove the text.

Please note that adding this tag won’t work for texts that have already been copied. Only users who have accounts at FFM will be able to delete them. Each work needs to be deleted manually.

However, the Russian fandom — except for the owner of FFM — strongly condemns reposts without the consent of the author, so feel free to contact our volunteers (through DM or Ask on our tumblr page) providing the links to the works stolen from AO3, so we could delete them for you.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to cover all authors and works manually. So, we contacted AO3’ Technical Team with the aim to bring their attention to this situation and inform about it all AO3 users, and hope that AO3 team will find a general solution to resolve this problem, possibly, in collaboration with the AO3 lawyers.

We are trying to warn as many authors as possible and recently started spreading this information via comments on AO3; but considering the number of works copied to FFM informing all authors will take considerable time, and we can easily miss someone, especially since the copying is still in progress and new works from AO3 are appearing on FFM every day.

Please help us spread the word!

 We tried to make a comprehensive FAQ about this. Feel free to ask if anything is unclear!

FAQ

Q: Can I check if my work was copied to FFM?

A: Yes, you can.

FFM makes money on Google and Yandex ads, so we recommend turning on the Ads Blocker of your choice before visiting this site.

Please follow this link, insert the title of your work or your AO3/other web-archive nickname into the field containing the words "insert-title-nickname" and hit "Искать" (Search).

For works rated Mature or Explicit you will be able to see only the caption "Текст произведения доступен только зарегистрированным пользователям старше 18 лет" ("The text of the work is available only to registered users over 18 years old"), but FFM users are able to read and download the story.

Q: My work from AO3 was copied. How can I take it down?

A: First of all add the tag "Don't copy to another site" (without “ “) to the stories you want to be taken down.

Actually we would recommend adding this tag to all the works you don't want to be copied.

Contact one of our volunteers (through DM or Ask on our tumblr page) providing links to your works or send an e-mail with your deletion request directly to the FFM owner at refery@fanfics.ru or at AO3. 

There is a third option: to register on FFM and delete the work yourself by hitting the refresh button, but considering that the site is in Russian we do not think it will be very convenient to those who do not speak Russian language.

Q: I got the message that my work has been deleted. How can I check if it is true?

A: You can go to FFM, search for you work, click on its title and scroll down.

After the summary there is a field that should look like this for those fics that have been deleted.

Basically it says that the author of this particular work has forbidden its copying and that only the information on its title, author’s nickname, rating, pairings, summary and the link to original post on AO3 are available. 

For works that are still available on FFM this field looks like this (if the work is open for non-registered users).

Q: My work copied from AO3 was deleted, but FFM still shows some information on it. Can it be deleted?

A: Even though the text of the fic is not going to be on FFM anymore after it has been deleted, the fic's title, author's name, rating, pairings, summary and link to original post on AO3 will remain there.

The deletion of this leftover information can be done only by the site owner himself.

Some Russian authors tried to make him to delete it, but in most cases the FFM’s owner refused them mentioning that publication of such information is in line with fair use concept and doesn’t violate authors’ rights.

We are yet unsure how to delete this leftover information. In case you need it as well, try contacting the FFM owner at refery@fanfics.ru or at AO3. Maybe e-mails of a large number of authors will work, but unfortunately we can’t guarantee anything. In case you need it, we can provide Russian text for you to send by e-mail (please contact our volunteers through DM or Ask on our tumblr page).

Q: My work from fanfiction.net/fictionpress.com/fanfiktion.de/other web-archives was copied to FFM. How can I take it down?

A: Unfortunately, there is no possible way for us to delete from FFM the fanworks that are copied from web-archives other then AO3. Only FFM’s owner can delete these works, please try contacting him at refery@fanfics.ru or at AO3. In case you need it, we can provide Russian text for you to send by e-mail (please contact our volunteers through DM or Ask on our tumblr page).

Please do not delete your works from the web-archive it was stolen from, because if the work is deleted it will be nearly impossible to delete it from FFM.

Also it seems that some time ago there was similar case of unauthorized copying with other site. Please check this link, they give useful advice.

[sevilemar]

hi! i read that both bird and snake primaries can look like each other—a bird with a snake system, and a snake looking for things to do once they and theirs are safe. as someone wrangling the difference between the two, how do i figure it out? thanks!

According to the original blog post for Ravenclaw primary, snakes often use bird-like structures because they are so very helpful, but there is a difference:

Slytherins don’t have this need for things to be true. Instead, a Slytherin’s system tends to be either more flexible or more self-serving. It will often still allow for long-term decisions and values, but Slytherin Primaries lack the passion of ideology and the desire for truth that is such a motivator for Ravenclaw Primaries. Slytherins tend to build a system in order to fill a void and to satisfy themselves. A Slytherin system is more likely to focus on just that person’s interaction with the world, often without a caveat of how others need to come to their own decisions about their system. Its aim is function and not general or even personal impact.

And apart from the slightly negative language, it rings true for me. I don't really care if my systems are true or even 100% consistent, as long as they are useful. If they are not useful anymore, I either research what I got wrong, or I let them go, even if they are still true systems. I need them to be mostly true, but that is more because if they aren't, they do not work and therefore they are are useless. Or I just have them for fun, and move on when I want to, never thinking about it again.

I have this distinction in my mind between what's right and what's brainwork. What's right is what I know to be true, no questions asked. Brainwork is everything else. It's sometimes important and sometimes fun, but never as immediate or as needed as what's right. I don't know if that's just me, though, because I have no idea what a true bird primary model feels or looks like for a snake, or vice versa. I have a few questions that might be interesting to ponder, though:

How did you arrive at the point where your people are what you value most? Was it more of an "I always knew it, thanks for making me see" or "I have thought long and hard about it and this is what's true (for me)" thing?

If I convinced you that caring only about a few people was harmful and wrong, could you eventually accept it given enough time and space, and find your happyness elsewhere? What would ring more true then, a burned field with a new house on it, or a tree that was so thoroughly pruned it felt like it was dead, but you made new branches grow and it was fine again?

Do you doubt yourself constantly? And does it feel more annoying, like "I know this, so why do I still poke and prod at it all the time?" or more like something good and healthy and necessary and right?

What do you want to be, a snake with a bird model, or a bird with a snake system? Why do you want/need to figure it out conclusively? What do you need/want from a conclusive sorting, what do you want shc to do for you/be for you?

As my friend (who happens to be a bird) reminded me yesterday: Sometimes it is very important to remember that shc is still a sorting system based in a specific culture, created and developed in a specific community but trying to sort the mess that is human life. As good as shc is, it has its limits. And ultimately, shc is a tool you can use if it helps you, and drop again if it doesn't.

[tortoisenottortoise]

Am I the only one who likes seeing muscular women in media more than muscular men?

Alright so, this one will probably end up much shorter and a little more ranty than I'd like, but this is kind of personal so be fairly warned. 

 Recently I've seen a few complaints about the new He-Man show and honestly, I fully understand and empathize with them. Whilst I haven't fully seen the show, from what I've viewed I can personally speaking agree (or at the very least understand) where most criticisms come from. I think it's incredibly shitty that the writer basically lied to his audience about how the show would run. Now normally I'd be fine with a twist such as He-man dying, but he's an important part of the show and the way the marketing & merchandising for it was running kind of comes across as him basically using He-Man's name to get people into the show. I also feel like it's fine to view Teela as obnoxious and annoying, nothing about her personality-wise seems likable to me. I also heard a few complaints about Orko's (I think that's his name, don't crucify me) backstory and how his character was handled.Yet as the title suggests one that didn't stick with me was the criticism of Teela and a general trend towards the criticism of women in media as being "masculine". 

I've heard over and over that Hollywood representing strong women by giving them masculine traits is a bad thing and yet... I kind of don't get it? It feels odd to say, almost like I'm the dumbest man alive for admitting something which most people on the internet seem to be so sure about, yet I just don't understand where this is coming from. I've seen this thrown at She-hulk, Wonder Woman, Abby, and many other characters, yet when inquired it usually loops back around to, "Yeah they have muscles", and that's about it. This type of criticism in specific seems to overly focus on the appearance of said characters. It's the one critique I just can't get behind and it feels like at best it's a shallow criticism that fails to get its point across, and at worst it's actively demeaning to women who desire to or show masculine traits. But first, let me break this down into sections.

Section 1: Muscles =/= Masculinity (In my opinion at least)

Oh boy, I feel like this is a section that might rustle some feathers, but I'm going to try and explain myself best as possible. I simply do not view muscularity as a feature that is inherent to or should be inherent to men. I'm not going to pretend as if muscular men aren't more saturated in media and art, nor as if they're societally treated as masculine, but one of the reasons I fail to understand this criticism is that I see muscles beyond the horizons as being just a masculine trait. 

I believe that muscles should instead be seen as a sign of hard work and determination. As someone who's currently trying (and struggling) to stay healthy and fit, it's much harder than a lot of media portrays it to be. It's a test where you push yourself to the limits, not just for the sake of doing it, but so you can improve as a person. Whenever I go to the gym and see a muscular gal or guy walk by, my immediate thought isn't, "how masculine" or anything like that my thought is, "wow! They worked hard to get like that, I should work hard as well!". 

This interpretation tends to feel like it's just simply taking a piss on people who actively work hard to achieve higher levels of strength. Especially when society places and enforces these unrealistic standards onto people. If you don't have a six-quintillion pack nor can bench press a fucking house then you're worthless, of course, that is unless you actually attempt to pursue said standards which in that case you're automatically dismissed as cheating your way to gaining your muscles instead of putting any work in. And that's just for men who often don't have to deal with traditional idiots who are stuck in the year 1950 where I can't walk on the same street as them. My skin crawls when reading tweets from older men talking about how weightlifting women are "ruining their fertility" and I absolutely hate it when people in my life treat these women as if they're mythical creatures from a fairy tale, or when females who have trained to such a degree are simply dismissed as being inferior. 

Obviously, I don't think the people who say this are like that, but whenever I hear this type of critique I can't help but think of the culmination of all these experiences I've gone through. But then again, this might honestly just be because I'm personally attracted to muscular women.

  Section 2: Body type diversity

  Another reason that I tend to like muscular women in media over muscular men is simply due to the sheer oversaturation of muscular men. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem if anybody likes muscular men. I totally get wanting to shove your face in between some man titties or get inspired by their physiques. In all honesty, almost everything I said earlier can directly apply to men, but one of the reasons I bring up body type diversity is that there tend to be much less muscular women than men. I

f anything, I'd have to say that muscular men are almost treated as the default when it comes to things like superhero comics, movies, video games, anime, etc. In a similar vein, the default for women tends to be slim and curvaceous, you get the drill. Whenever someone who doesn't fit into either body type shows up and isn't treated like a joke/gag or a character to rip on, I can't help but be happy about it. As much as I have no clue wtf is going on with TLOU2, I can appreciate that Abby's portrayal doesn't seem to exist solely as a joke meant to demean women for working out. I'm excited when an anime protagonist is a fat character who can go beyond just being a "fat guy" and is treated the same way a normal person would be.

 Regardless of what you think about whatever trait you're criticizing, there's probably someone out there who fits it. If you're not into it or dislike it, then that's fine, but I'd rather have that expressed than it being actively made out as a harmful trope as opposed to just literally another body type that some women have.

  Section 3: Muscular women inspire me more

Ok so, we've now blown into a full-on personal experience, buckle up boys, girls, NBs, anything in between, and I feel like I'm forgetting someone so apologies! But yeah, muscular women in media tend to be a lot more inspiring than people seem to give them credit for. This comes down to a mix of both the qualities I outlined earlier in what makes the characters inspiring but also plays into the idea of body diversity. 

One of the traits that make amazons seem more inspiring is their inherent rarity/lack of screentime. As I stated earlier, whilst I do enjoy my fair share of man-titties, it kind of gets to a point where it's more depressing than inspiring when all you see is just super-models shoved in your face whenever you walk into a theater. If for every Goku I could find ten other guys who were on the chubbier side then I'd be able to take more from when I see Goku and other characters with his body type, yet it's so saturated that it no longer becomes something to aspire to, but simply the norm.  It's not that you can work to become muscular or skinny with hard work and effort, you have to be muscular or skinny unless you want to be deemed a failure. Being chubby often isn't presented as a starting point but just treated as a defect. As someone who spent years battling with my own self-perception, that's just not a good message to get across.

Now, this obviously isn't to say that people can never make muscular characters. After all, it's their story so they can put whatever they want in it. The aim of the game isn't to stop people from making a specific type of character, but to encourage a diverse set of people to make a diverse set of characters. This is the reason why I view muscular women as so inspiring. Instead of coming across as just "the norm" or "the standard" they stand out from the crowd and despite knowing what they have to deal with, are still ready and willing to work out and improve their bodies. They had a goal in mind and set time aside to achieve said goal, that's something I can get behind.

  Conclusion:

This will be another short section, but I just wanted to mention it because it caps off my thoughts on this post in general. What originally started as me just not getting the reason why people disliked Teela's design somehow turned into a passionate rant and I'm A) not sure if it fits on this particular subsection of the community, B) scared I'm going to get ripped to pieces, and C) somewhat unsatisfied with all that I said. At the end of the day, this probably won't be seen by too many people, but to those who do see it, I hope you have a wonderful day. I just wanted to talk about something that was near and dear to my heart and hoped that I made it clear why I view things the way I do. 

P.S: Can we stop having this double standard where we act like women whose arms show the slightest hint of definition are "unrealistic" whilst men can look like tree trunks and be considered normal and healthy? please and thank you!

[simana-x]

Oh yeah, and this is the information page for the BTHB if you’re interested in taking part!

BTHB About Page

Guidelines + Rules

(home ask)

What is this? — Getting Started — How It Works — The Rules — FAQ —

What is this?

This is your motivation to write that fic. Always fun to take prompts when they’re in the form of games you remember from elementary school birthday parties.

You may have seen some bingo cards floating around in the fanfic community. People make a card featuring 24 prompts, and other people will submit a request for one of these prompts to be filled, as well as choosing which character(s) will prominently feature, and occasionally other details as well, depending on the cardholder’s preference. The cardholder then writes the fic and marks it off on the card.

Sounds fun, right? Right.

We all know that some of us are here to get DARK. So, why not make a bingo game focusing on Bad Things?

At this page you will find a list of tropes and scenarios. Currently, there are over four hundred listed. Most are whump-focused, some are more angst, and a few are centered around the ‘comfort’ part of hurt/comfort. Some are fairly general, some are very specific. Some are fairly lighthearted, and some take you right into the heart of Sadism Land.

These are the fics we’ll be writing.

Getting Started

Once you’ve finished reading the rules and FAQ, click on the ‘request a card’ link on the home page or here. This will take you to an application. Let us know the tumblr url you want us to send the card to, and if you want, what fandoms you intend to write for.

Next, you pick your tropes. We’ve got a lot of them, and of course, not everyone would be interested in writing for all of them. Some tropes may not work in the setting you want to write for, some may be difficult to get inspiration for, some may be too dark for you or not dark enough. Go ahead and check off the box next to every trope that you ARE okay with having on your card. You must choose at least 25, so every space on the card has a prompt. (There is no free space; freedom is an illusion.)

There will be a couple of additional questions at the end of the application, then, just submit! Make sure you have your submission box open on your tumblr, with the option to submit a photo, so that we can send you your bingo card. If your submission box is not open, you will not receive a card.

How It Works

When you receive your bingo card, you can start writing! You can write at your own pace and in your own time frame. Go ahead and post your bingo card if you’re making the fics available to your followers, and don’t forget to keep track of which spaces you’ve completed! Doesn’t have to be anything fancy; you can use anything from Photoshop to MS Paint to a text post with strikethroughs to track your progress.

For fic bingos, many people like to take prompts from their followers. Someone will send an ask requesting one of the tropes from your card and a character(s) for the fic to focus on. If you’d like, you can also let your followers prompt other details such as which character you want to have hurt and which one should be the comforter, whether it should be romantic or platonic, an AU to set it in, anything at all. Sky’s the limit. However, prompts are not required; you can select which combinations of tropes and characters you want to write and in what order you want to write them on your own.

Once you’ve written a fic, post it! If in your application you gave us permission to reblog your work, we’ll put it right here on this blog to share with other players and readers. Be sure to tag it with #badthingshappenbingo, or @ us in the post, to ensure we see it. Additionally, please tag the trope featured in the fic, and the fandom you wrote it for.

If you cross-post the fic on AO3, we have a badthingshappenbingo collection, which you can find here! Feel free to add your fic to the collection!

Once you’ve completed five squares in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, you will be added to the Hall of Fame! But don’t feel like you have to stop once you’ve gotten a Bingo; the Hall of Fame will also give special prominence to those of you who get a Blackout - that is, completing every space on your card!

Rules

~ You must have your submissions open in order to receive a card.

~ Although you may request a new Bingo card, you can only have one card in play at a time. We urge you to try to complete your current card before getting a new one if you can.

~ Fics can be NSFW, but they MUST be tagged as such, and all NSFW content MUST be placed under a Read More.

~ There is no word minimum. There is no word maximum.

~ You are allowed to cross-post works you wrote for this event on other platforms, such as AO3, FFN, etc., but we’d like you to also either post the fic on tumblr, or post a link to it, so we can find it.

~ Your entry must be completed before you can mark off its space on your bingo card. The exception is if you are writing a multi-chapter fic, but the chapter featuring the prompt must still be completed.

~ Your entry must be newly written for the bingo, not retroactively tagged or added on to a pre-existing fic.

~ Please indicate somewhere on the post or in the tags which fandom your fic was written for.

~ Feel free to message the blog if we missed reblogging a post you created for this event.

~ Only one prompt per post counts. You can include multiple tropes in a story/chapter, but you can only officially tag/mark off the square for one of them.

~ We love drama in our fics, not on our dash. If a fic is written for a work or a ship that you don’t like, don’t read it. That’s all there is to it. ~ RPF (Real Person Fic) content is not allowed.

~ Although the official Bingo game is a writing-only challenge, you can also participate in this event as an artist. Find the details in this post here!

FAQ

Q: How long does this event last?

A: Forever and ever, I guess. There is no time limit for completing your fics.

Q: How long does it take to receive a card after applying for one?

A: Anywhere from several hours to one week. It depends entirely on how busy the mods are, how frequently applications are coming in, and how long the waiting list is. All of these factors fluctuate wildly from day to day.

Q: Which fandoms can we write for?

A: You can write for any fandom you’d like. This even includes original work, which we like to view as one-person fandoms. The only exception is that we do not allow RPF (real person fic) content. Let’s stick to hurting FICTIONAL people.

Q: I sent in an application, but did not receive a card. Why is that?

A: Most likely, it’s because your submissions were closed. If, however, your submissions are open and you still did not receive a card, it’s probably because either the Google Docs form did not go through, or tumblr ate the submission. Message us off of anon and we’ll get it sorted out.

Q: Can we submit completed fics for this bingo that are also written for other bingos or writing events?

A: As long as the other event also allows it, yes, that’s perfectly fine.

Q: Can we collaborate on fics?

A: When you apply for a card, the username or usernames on the application should always be the author of all prompt fills. If you apply for a card for yourself and another user to share, all works for the card must be a collaboration between the two of you. If you apply for a card for a single user, all works for the card should be written by that single user.

Q: I posted a filled prompt and you didn’t reblog it. Why is that?

A: We aim to reblog all filled prompts. However, due to tumblr being tumblr, occasionally we will miss a filled prompt due to the post not showing up in the tag and/or an @ not making it onto our activity feed. So if you have posted a filled prompt and it has been 48 hours or more without us reblogging, that means we didn’t see it, so you can go ahead and submit or direct message the link to us and we’ll get to it as soon as possible.

Q: Can you add [trope] to the trope list?

A: Probably. As long as it is succinct enough to fit in a space on the bingo card. We would love for the masterlist to be continually expanding. We also want to ensure that all aspects of this event are inclusive to gen writers and to aromantic-asexual characters, due to the fact that they’re so often overlooked or left out of fandom events and activities, so no prompts that inherently require the protagonist/whumpee to be alloromantic and/or allosexual (Unrequited Pining, Cheated On, Left at the Altar, etc.) will ever be included in the masterlist.

Q: Can we make our own cards, or do we have to get them from you?

A: In order to keep track of who’s participating, we ask that you specifically request a card from us. The mods are active, and should be prompt in getting you your card. If you’d like to make your own, feel free - we don’t own these tropes. However, if you make your own, don’t tag the completed fic as #badthingshappenbingo. Only cards made and distributed by us are included in the event proper.

Q: Do we have to post the fics we write for this event?

A: It’s not required. You can request a card for personal/private use if you’d like.

Q: Are there any prizes?

A: Bragging rights, a spot in the Hall of Fame, a sense of accomplishment, and a boost to your grand total fanfic word count. That’s all the reward you need, right?

[3nd0fr3gss]

Crystals: A Masterlist of Purposes, Correspondences & How To Use Them

@3nd0fr3gss

⚠️BEFORE I GET INTO THE POST, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THIS LIST IS NOT FINISHED⚠️

Crystals starting with “A”

Agate (Banded): is a stone of stability & balance. It can be used for protection, and aids in subtle healing. It is known for being related to the root chakra, and is good for grounding. It can inspire hope, change, and a spiritual connection within oneself. Do not cleanse with salt or sunlight. Moonlight, sound, and smoke cleansing work best with this crystal.

Amazonite: is a soothing stone. It calms the brain and nervous system and aids in maintaining optimum health. Balances the masculine and feminine energies. This stone can help you to see a problem or situation from different perspectives as well as your own. Do not cleanse with water or salt. Any other cleansing methods are fine to use.

Amethyst: is a natural tranquilizer, it relieves stress and strain, soothes irritability, balances mood swings, dispels anger, rage, fear and anxiety. The stone alleviates sadness and grief, and dissolves negativity. It can help activate spiritual awareness, open intuition, and enhance psychic abilities. Do not cleanse in sunlight or by burying it. However, any other methods of cleansing are fine.

Aquamarine: is a stone of courage. Its calming energies reduce stress and quiet the mind. This stone has an affinity with sensitive people, as it can invoke tolerance of others and help to overcome judgmentalism. This gives support to those overwhelmed by responsibility.

Crystals starting with “B”

Bloodstone: is an excellent blood cleanser and a powerful healing stone. It heightens intuition and increases creativity. This is a grounding and protecting stone, as it draws off negative environmental energy. This helps to overcome influences such as geopathic or electromagnetic stress.

Crystals starting with “C”

Carnelian: is a stabilizing stone. This stone can help to restore vitality, passion, creativity, and joy as well as to create stimulating energy in a healthy way. It gives courage, promotes creative energies by giving them an extra boost, and encourages positive changes. It can help motivate physical and mental/emotional changes in one's life. This stone is useful for helping to overcome the trauma following any kind of abuse. Do not cleanse with salt, sunlight, or water. Any other method of cleansing is fine to use.

Citrine: promotes motivation, activates creativity and encourages self-expression. This member of the quartz family can be energising and recharging. The stone also can help to reverse degenerative disease and help balance chemical imbalances in the body. Possibly beneficial in the treatment of diabetes, it can also stimulate digestion, and the functions of the spleen and pancreas.

Crystals starting with “G”

Garnet: is a balancing stone which brings serenity and passion, and can inspire new love & balance. Considered to be a stone of luck, it can be used to bring success in love, wealth, business, and creating change in oneself.

Goldstone (Red): is a motivating stone. Although manmade, this stone is good for a confidence boost, as well as promoting lighter energy. This type of Goldstone is used to aid in creating vitality into one’s life. Do not cleanse with water or salt. Any other methods of cleansing are fine.

Crystals starting with “H”

Hematite: is said to restore energy to crystals as well as help them to boost the other crystals’ effects. Contrary to popular belief, however, this stone will not break because of “bad energy” or plain negativity. Hematite is a metal (which is magnetic), and is very soft. It will break due to poor care for the stone, not due to unpleasant emotions. Do not cleanse with water, salt, or by burying the stone. Most other ways of cleansing are fine, but with sunlight cleansing, it will heat up fast, and can burn the next person to touch it when taken out of sunlight. For this reason, moonlight cleansing (under a full or new moon) is better for this stone.

Howlite: is a calming stone and aids in relaxation. Known for helping to reduce angry emotions in oneself, it can calm negative emotions aimed towards the stone’s owner as well. This stone is also good for reducing anxiety. Finally, it is also known for helping to reduce the effects of insomnia. Do not cleanse with salt, water, or by burying it. Instead, use sunlight or moonlight to avoid any possible damage done to the crystal.

Crystals starting with “J”

Jasper (Red): said to increase emotional stamina, self confidence, self-trust, emotional protection, courage, balance, calm and relaxation- this specific form of jasper can also be used for increasing memory of dreams and also increasing sexual vibrancy. Do not cleanse in salt/salt water. Any other cleansing methods are fine to use.

Jet: is said to help draw out negative energy and lower the effects of unreasonable fears. This stone- known to promote control over one’s emotions, thoughts, and actions; can also be used as a general stone to align the chakras.

Crystals starting with “K”

Kyanite (Blue): is known for helping to align certain chakras, such as the throat, third eye, and crown chakras. It provides the balance of Yin & Yang by allowing the dark to flow with the light instead of against it. Its calming properties are good for bringing tranquility & peace, as well as mental clarity. Do not cleanse with salt, water, sunlight, or by burying it. A preferred method of cleansing this stone is sound, smoke, or moonlight.

Crystals Starting with “L”

Labradorite: is the stone of transformation. This crystal is commonly known for pushing changes, whether this be in energy, habits, or just an appearance. This stone is very helpful for giving some extra strength to its user throughout the day if/when carried. It protects the aura, cleanses spaces of negativity, and transforms “bad” energy into more positive feelings. Do not cleanse this stone with water, salt, sunlight, or by burying it. It is best to be cleansed with moonlight or sound.

Lapis Lazuli: is used to aid in speaking the truth, as it is associated with the throat chakra. This stone inspires confidence, as well as helps to fight against anxiety & depression. It is known for its properties such as: purification, mental clarity, promoting positive energy, and helping to have the motivation to create something new, as well as helping to relieve some symptoms of insomnia. Do not cleanse this stone with water, salt, or by burying it. Instead, cleanse this with moonlight (from the new or full moon), smoke, or sound.

Crystals starting with “M”

Malachite: is the essence of joy, and is known as the "stone of transformation" because it helps reveal and heal emotional pain by absorbing the pain into itself. It is especially helpful in bringing ease during times of change and gives the insight needed for personal growth. Brings you to your highest energy level gently and is best used with a grounding stone. Do not cleanse in water or salt, but rather with noise or moonlight.

Moonstone: is a stone for “new beginnings”. This is a stone of inner growth and strength. It helps to soothe emotional instability and stress, as well as to stabilize the emotions, which then provides calmness & tranquility. It enhances intuition, promotes inspiration, success and good fortune in love and business matters.

Crystals starting with “O”

Obsidian (Black): as a strongly protective stone, it forms a shield against negativity. It blocks psychic attack and absorbs negative energies from the environment. This type of obsidian draws out mental stress and tension. It stimulates growth on all levels, urging exploration of the unknown and opening new horizons. Do not put it in salt/salt water or bury it in soil, but you can cleanse any other way.

Opal: is known as the seductive stone. It can intensify emotional states of any kind, as well as release hidden emotions. Wearing this stone is said to bring about loyalty and faithfulness. It has been said to be extremely beneficial in many physical realms as well, such as in treating infections and fevers.

Crystals starting with “Q”

Quartz (Aura): as crystals of spiritual elevation, this stone is remarkable for its powers of guidance and expansion to the soul. It provides serenity and peace during meditation, helping to deepen one’s attunement to the divine, as well as opens gateways to the angelic realm. It assists in remembering lessons from past incarnations and expands the awareness of one’s spiritual purpose for this lifetime. This member of the quartz family is highly protective during spiritual journeying, and can be an effective aid for conscious channeling & all types of inter-dimensional communications.

Quartz (Clear): known as the "master healer" and will amplify energy and thought, as well as the effect of other crystals. It absorbs, stores, releases and regulates energy. It harmonises all the chakras and aligns the subtle bodies.

Quartz (Rose): is known as a healing crystal and the stone of unconditional love. It's believed by some to emit strong vibrations of love, which are thought to support emotional relationships as well as to help heal and inspire compassion. Good for self love, friendship, family, and love. Do not cleanse in sunlight, but any other method is fine.

Quartz (Smoky): in addition to the generic healing properties of Quartz, Smokey Quartz is an excellent grounding stone. Smokey Quartz disperses fear, lifts depression and negativity. It brings emotional calmness, relieving stress and anxiety. The stone can also promote positive thoughts and actions, as well as alleviate suicidal tendencies. Do not cleanse in sunlight or by burying it. Any other cleansing methods are fine.

Quartz (Unicorn): this stone, made of Clear Quartz bonded with Gold and Titanium, produces vivid multi-colored metallic crystals. This type of Aura Quartz activates all the energy centers in the body, clearing a path for the Life Force to manifest throughout the subtle bodies, bringing in a vibrant energy and zest for life. Do not cleanse with sunlight or salt, but any other way is fine.

Crystals starting with “S”

Selenite: is said to be a powerful healing crystal that has the capability to self-cleanse. This stone promotes peace, calm energy, mental clarity, purification, and health. It is believed that this stone can remove negative energies and help connect its user to a higher realm. Cleansing is not needed with this stone, but if you choose to cleanse it anyways, do not cleanse with water, salt, sunlight, or by burying it.

Sodalite: as it is linked to the throat chakra, this stone helps the vocal cords and larynx. This then helps with hoarseness and digestive disorders. It can cool fevers, lower blood pressure, and stimulate the absorption of body fluids. This stone can help to prevent insomnia, as well as help to lower anxiety.

Sunstone: is linked to luck and good fortune. It clears and energises all the chakras. This stone instills good nature, helps to heighten the intuition, and allows the real form of self to shine through the body happily. It dissipates fearfulness, alleviates stress and increases vitality.

Crystals starting with “T”

Tiger Eye (Golden): is a crystal with beautiful bands of yellow-golden color throughout. This is a powerful stone that helps you to release fear and anxiety and aids harmony and balance. It stimulates taking action, and helps you to make decisions with discernment and understanding, and unclouded by your emotions. Do not cleanse in salt or water (or by burying it in soil), but any other way of cleansing is fine.

Tourmaline (Black): as a member of the Tourmaline family, it is a protective stone which repels and blocks negative energies and psychic attacks. It also aids in the removal of negative energies within a person or a space. The stone will cleanse, purify, and transform dense energy into a lighter vibration.