diff --git a/include/darknet.h b/include/darknet.h
index ef085960..940d9808 100644
--- a/include/darknet.h
+++ b/include/darknet.h
@@ -822,6 +822,7 @@ typedef struct load_args {
     int augment_speed;
     int letter_box;
     int show_imgs;
+    int dontuse_opencv;
     float jitter;
     int flip;
     int blur;
diff --git a/scripts/README.md b/scripts/README.md
index c38626ec..1cefec95 100644
--- a/scripts/README.md
+++ b/scripts/README.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ### Datasets:
 
+25 thousand datasets on Kaggle: https://www.kaggle.com/datasets
+
 BDD100K - Diverse Driving Video: https://bair.berkeley.edu/blog/2018/05/30/bdd/
 
 Pascal VOC: http://host.robots.ox.ac.uk/pascal/VOC/voc2012/index.html
diff --git a/src/classifier.c b/src/classifier.c
index 59ae3e94..e97e9cf4 100644
--- a/src/classifier.c
+++ b/src/classifier.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ float *get_regression_values(char **labels, int n)
     return v;
 }
 
-void train_classifier(char *datacfg, char *cfgfile, char *weightfile, int *gpus, int ngpus, int clear, int dont_show, int mjpeg_port, int calc_topk, int show_imgs)
+void train_classifier(char *datacfg, char *cfgfile, char *weightfile, int *gpus, int ngpus, int clear, int dontuse_opencv, int dont_show, int mjpeg_port, int calc_topk, int show_imgs)
 {
     int i;
 
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ void train_classifier(char *datacfg, char *cfgfile, char *weightfile, int *gpus,
     args.threads = 32;
     args.hierarchy = net.hierarchy;
 
+    args.dontuse_opencv = dontuse_opencv;
     args.min = net.min_crop;
     args.max = net.max_crop;
     args.flip = net.flip;
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ void train_classifier(char *datacfg, char *cfgfile, char *weightfile, int *gpus,
     int img_size = 1000;
     char windows_name[100];
     sprintf(windows_name, "average loss (id:%d)", random_gen());
-    img = draw_train_chart(windows_name, max_img_loss, net.max_batches, number_of_lines, img_size, dont_show);
+    if (!dontuse_opencv) img = draw_train_chart(windows_name, max_img_loss, net.max_batches, number_of_lines, img_size, dont_show);
 #endif  //OPENCV
 
     data train;
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ void train_classifier(char *datacfg, char *cfgfile, char *weightfile, int *gpus,
 
         printf("%d, %.3f: %f, %f avg, %f rate, %lf seconds, %ld images\n", get_current_batch(net), (float)(*net.seen)/ train_images_num, loss, avg_loss, get_current_rate(net), sec(clock()-time), *net.seen);
 #ifdef OPENCV
-        draw_train_loss(windows_name, img, img_size, avg_loss, max_img_loss, i, net.max_batches, topk, draw_precision, topk_buff, dont_show, mjpeg_port);
+        if (!dontuse_opencv) draw_train_loss(windows_name, img, img_size, avg_loss, max_img_loss, i, net.max_batches, topk, draw_precision, topk_buff, dont_show, mjpeg_port);
 #endif  // OPENCV
 
         if (i >= (iter_save + 1000)) {
@@ -1298,6 +1299,7 @@ void run_classifier(int argc, char **argv)
     }
 
     int dont_show = find_arg(argc, argv, "-dont_show");
+    int dontuse_opencv = find_arg(argc, argv, "-dontuse_opencv");
     int show_imgs = find_arg(argc, argv, "-show_imgs");
     int calc_topk = find_arg(argc, argv, "-topk");
     int cam_index = find_int_arg(argc, argv, "-c", 0);
@@ -1311,7 +1313,7 @@ void run_classifier(int argc, char **argv)
     int layer = layer_s ? atoi(layer_s) : -1;
     if(0==strcmp(argv[2], "predict")) predict_classifier(data, cfg, weights, filename, top);
     else if(0==strcmp(argv[2], "try")) try_classifier(data, cfg, weights, filename, atoi(layer_s));
-    else if(0==strcmp(argv[2], "train")) train_classifier(data, cfg, weights, gpus, ngpus, clear, dont_show, mjpeg_port, calc_topk, show_imgs);
+    else if(0==strcmp(argv[2], "train")) train_classifier(data, cfg, weights, gpus, ngpus, clear, dontuse_opencv, dont_show, mjpeg_port, calc_topk, show_imgs);
     else if(0==strcmp(argv[2], "demo")) demo_classifier(data, cfg, weights, cam_index, filename);
     else if(0==strcmp(argv[2], "gun")) gun_classifier(data, cfg, weights, cam_index, filename);
     else if(0==strcmp(argv[2], "threat")) threat_classifier(data, cfg, weights, cam_index, filename);
diff --git a/src/data.c b/src/data.c
index 2053030b..6fa37846 100644
--- a/src/data.c
+++ b/src/data.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ matrix load_image_paths(char **paths, int n, int w, int h)
     return X;
 }
 
-matrix load_image_augment_paths(char **paths, int n, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure)
+matrix load_image_augment_paths(char **paths, int n, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure, int dontuse_opencv)
 {
     int i;
     matrix X;
@@ -152,7 +152,10 @@ matrix load_image_augment_paths(char **paths, int n, int use_flip, int min, int
 
     for(i = 0; i < n; ++i){
         int size = w > h ? w : h;
-        image im = load_image_color(paths[i], 0, 0);
+        image im;
+        if(dontuse_opencv) im = load_image_stb_resize(paths[i], 0, 0, 3);
+        else im = load_image_color(paths[i], 0, 0);
+
         image crop = random_augment_image(im, angle, aspect, min, max, size);
         int flip = use_flip ? random_gen() % 2 : 0;
         if (flip)
@@ -1362,7 +1365,7 @@ void *load_thread(void *ptr)
     if (a.type == OLD_CLASSIFICATION_DATA){
         *a.d = load_data_old(a.paths, a.n, a.m, a.labels, a.classes, a.w, a.h);
     } else if (a.type == CLASSIFICATION_DATA){
-        *a.d = load_data_augment(a.paths, a.n, a.m, a.labels, a.classes, a.hierarchy, a.flip, a.min, a.max, a.w, a.h, a.angle, a.aspect, a.hue, a.saturation, a.exposure, a.mixup, a.blur, a.show_imgs, a.label_smooth_eps);
+        *a.d = load_data_augment(a.paths, a.n, a.m, a.labels, a.classes, a.hierarchy, a.flip, a.min, a.max, a.w, a.h, a.angle, a.aspect, a.hue, a.saturation, a.exposure, a.mixup, a.blur, a.show_imgs, a.label_smooth_eps, a.dontuse_opencv);
     } else if (a.type == SUPER_DATA){
         *a.d = load_data_super(a.paths, a.n, a.m, a.w, a.h, a.scale);
     } else if (a.type == WRITING_DATA){
@@ -1507,20 +1510,20 @@ data load_data_super(char **paths, int n, int m, int w, int h, int scale)
     return d;
 }
 
-data load_data_augment(char **paths, int n, int m, char **labels, int k, tree *hierarchy, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure, int use_mixup, int use_blur, int show_imgs, float label_smooth_eps)
+data load_data_augment(char **paths, int n, int m, char **labels, int k, tree *hierarchy, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure, int use_mixup, int use_blur, int show_imgs, float label_smooth_eps, int dontuse_opencv)
 {
     char **paths_stored = paths;
     if(m) paths = get_random_paths(paths, n, m);
     data d = {0};
     d.shallow = 0;
-    d.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure);
+    d.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure, dontuse_opencv);
     d.y = load_labels_paths(paths, n, labels, k, hierarchy, label_smooth_eps);
 
     if (use_mixup && rand_int(0, 1)) {
         char **paths_mix = get_random_paths(paths_stored, n, m);
         data d2 = { 0 };
         d2.shallow = 0;
-        d2.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths_mix, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure);
+        d2.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths_mix, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure, dontuse_opencv);
         d2.y = load_labels_paths(paths_mix, n, labels, k, hierarchy, label_smooth_eps);
         free(paths_mix);
 
@@ -1530,12 +1533,12 @@ data load_data_augment(char **paths, int n, int m, char **labels, int k, tree *h
         d4.shallow = 0;
         if (use_mixup >= 3) {
             char **paths_mix3 = get_random_paths(paths_stored, n, m);
-            d3.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths_mix3, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure);
+            d3.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths_mix3, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure, dontuse_opencv);
             d3.y = load_labels_paths(paths_mix3, n, labels, k, hierarchy, label_smooth_eps);
             free(paths_mix3);
 
             char **paths_mix4 = get_random_paths(paths_stored, n, m);
-            d4.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths_mix4, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure);
+            d4.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths_mix4, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure, dontuse_opencv);
             d4.y = load_labels_paths(paths_mix4, n, labels, k, hierarchy, label_smooth_eps);
             free(paths_mix4);
         }
@@ -1706,7 +1709,7 @@ data load_data_tag(char **paths, int n, int m, int k, int use_flip, int min, int
     d.w = w;
     d.h = h;
     d.shallow = 0;
-    d.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure);
+    d.X = load_image_augment_paths(paths, n, use_flip, min, max, w, h, angle, aspect, hue, saturation, exposure, 0);
     d.y = load_tags_paths(paths, n, k);
     if(m) free(paths);
     return d;
diff --git a/src/data.h b/src/data.h
index f675ae82..e430363d 100644
--- a/src/data.h
+++ b/src/data.h
@@ -89,9 +89,9 @@ data load_data_old(char **paths, int n, int m, char **labels, int k, int w, int
 data load_data_detection(int n, char **paths, int m, int w, int h, int c, int boxes, int classes, int use_flip, int use_blur, int use_mixup,
     float jitter, float hue, float saturation, float exposure, int mini_batch, int track, int augment_speed, int letter_box, int show_imgs);
 data load_data_tag(char **paths, int n, int m, int k, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure);
-matrix load_image_augment_paths(char **paths, int n, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure);
+matrix load_image_augment_paths(char **paths, int n, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure, int dontuse_opencv);
 data load_data_super(char **paths, int n, int m, int w, int h, int scale);
-data load_data_augment(char **paths, int n, int m, char **labels, int k, tree *hierarchy, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure, int use_mixup, int use_blur, int show_imgs, float label_smooth_eps);
+data load_data_augment(char **paths, int n, int m, char **labels, int k, tree *hierarchy, int use_flip, int min, int max, int w, int h, float angle, float aspect, float hue, float saturation, float exposure, int use_mixup, int use_blur, int show_imgs, float label_smooth_eps, int dontuse_opencv);
 data load_go(char *filename);
 
 box_label *read_boxes(char *filename, int *n);
diff --git a/src/image.c b/src/image.c
index c24cb5dc..d62dd2f6 100644
--- a/src/image.c
+++ b/src/image.c
@@ -1419,6 +1419,18 @@ image load_image_stb(char *filename, int channels)
     return im;
 }
 
+image load_image_stb_resize(char *filename, int w, int h, int c)
+{
+    image out = load_image_stb(filename, c);    // without OpenCV
+
+    if ((h && w) && (h != out.h || w != out.w)) {
+        image resized = resize_image(out, w, h);
+        free_image(out);
+        out = resized;
+    }
+    return out;
+}
+
 image load_image(char *filename, int w, int h, int c)
 {
 #ifdef OPENCV
diff --git a/src/image.h b/src/image.h
index 14792c9b..58897794 100644
--- a/src/image.h
+++ b/src/image.h
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ image float_to_image_scaled(int w, int h, int c, float *data);
 image float_to_image(int w, int h, int c, float *data);
 image copy_image(image p);
 image load_image(char *filename, int w, int h, int c);
+image load_image_stb_resize(char *filename, int w, int h, int c);
 //LIB_API image load_image_color(char *filename, int w, int h);
 image **load_alphabet();
 
diff --git a/src/image_opencv.cpp b/src/image_opencv.cpp
index afcd86ce..d678bd90 100644
--- a/src/image_opencv.cpp
+++ b/src/image_opencv.cpp
@@ -1210,15 +1210,15 @@ extern "C" image image_data_augmentation(mat_cv* mat, int w, int h,
         if (blur) {
             cv::Mat dst(sized.size(), sized.type());
             if (blur == 1) {
-                //cv::GaussianBlur(sized, dst, cv::Size(31, 31), 0);
-                cv::bilateralFilter(sized, dst, 17, 75, 75);
+                cv::GaussianBlur(sized, dst, cv::Size(17, 17), 0);
+                //cv::bilateralFilter(sized, dst, 17, 75, 75);
             }
             else {
                 int ksize = (blur / 2) * 2 + 1;
                 cv::Size kernel_size = cv::Size(ksize, ksize);
-                //cv::GaussianBlur(sized, dst, kernel_size, 0);
+                cv::GaussianBlur(sized, dst, kernel_size, 0);
                 //cv::medianBlur(sized, dst, ksize);
-                cv::bilateralFilter(sized, dst, ksize, 75, 75);
+                //cv::bilateralFilter(sized, dst, ksize, 75, 75);
 
                 // sharpen
                 //cv::Mat img_tmp;
@@ -1274,7 +1274,9 @@ extern "C" image blur_image(image src_img, int ksize)
 {
     cv::Mat src = image_to_mat(src_img);
     cv::Mat dst;
-    cv::bilateralFilter(src, dst, ksize, 75, 75);
+    cv::Size kernel_size = cv::Size(ksize, ksize);
+    cv::GaussianBlur(src, dst, kernel_size, 0);
+    //cv::bilateralFilter(src, dst, ksize, 75, 75);
     image dst_img = mat_to_image(dst);
     return dst_img;
 }