diff --git a/extensions/elevenlabs_tts/script.py b/extensions/elevenlabs_tts/script.py
index 7339cc73..cee64c06 100644
--- a/extensions/elevenlabs_tts/script.py
+++ b/extensions/elevenlabs_tts/script.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import gradio as gr
 from elevenlabslib import ElevenLabsUser
 from elevenlabslib.helpers import save_bytes_to_path
 
+import re
+
 import modules.shared as shared
 
 params = {
@@ -52,14 +54,10 @@ def refresh_voices():
         return
 
 def remove_surrounded_chars(string):
-    new_string = ""
-    in_star = False
-    for char in string:
-        if char == '*':
-            in_star = not in_star
-        elif not in_star:
-            new_string += char
-    return new_string
+    # regexp is way faster than repeated string concatenation!
+    # this expression matches to 'as few symbols as possible (0 upwards) between any asterisks' OR
+    # 'as few symbols as possible (0 upwards) between an asterisk and the end of the string'
+    return re.sub('\*[^\*]*?(\*|$)','',string)
 
 def input_modifier(string):
     """
diff --git a/extensions/sd_api_pictures/script.py b/extensions/sd_api_pictures/script.py
index b9fba2b9..03d3c784 100644
--- a/extensions/sd_api_pictures/script.py
+++ b/extensions/sd_api_pictures/script.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import base64
 import io
+import re
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import gradio as gr
@@ -31,14 +32,10 @@ picture_response = False # specifies if the next model response should appear as
 pic_id = 0
 
 def remove_surrounded_chars(string):
-    new_string = ""
-    in_star = False
-    for char in string:
-        if char == '*':
-            in_star = not in_star
-        elif not in_star:
-            new_string += char
-    return new_string
+    # regexp is way faster than repeated string concatenation!
+    # this expression matches to 'as few symbols as possible (0 upwards) between any asterisks' OR
+    # 'as few symbols as possible (0 upwards) between an asterisk and the end of the string'
+    return re.sub('\*[^\*]*?(\*|$)','',string)
 
 # I don't even need input_hijack for this as visible text will be commited to history as the unmodified string
 def input_modifier(string):
@@ -54,6 +51,8 @@ def input_modifier(string):
     mediums = ['image', 'pic', 'picture', 'photo']
     subjects = ['yourself', 'own']
     lowstr = string.lower()
+
+    # TODO: refactor out to separate handler and also replace detection with a regexp
     if any(command in lowstr for command in commands) and any(case in lowstr for case in mediums): # trigger the generation if a command signature and a medium signature is found
         picture_response = True
         shared.args.no_stream = True                                                               # Disable streaming cause otherwise the SD-generated picture would return as a dud
@@ -91,8 +90,15 @@ def get_SD_pictures(description):
             output_file = Path(f'extensions/sd_api_pictures/outputs/{pic_id:06d}.png')
             image.save(output_file.as_posix())
             pic_id += 1
-        # lower the resolution of received images for the chat, otherwise the history size gets out of control quickly with all the base64 values
-        newsize = (300, 300)
+        # lower the resolution of received images for the chat, otherwise the log size gets out of control quickly with all the base64 values in visible history
+        width, height = image.size
+        if (width > 300):
+            height = int(height * (300 / width))
+            width = 300
+        elif (height > 300):
+            width = int(width * (300 / height))
+            height = 300        
+        newsize = (width, height)
         image = image.resize(newsize, Image.LANCZOS)
         buffered = io.BytesIO()
         image.save(buffered, format="JPEG")
diff --git a/extensions/send_pictures/script.py b/extensions/send_pictures/script.py
index b0c35632..05ceed8b 100644
--- a/extensions/send_pictures/script.py
+++ b/extensions/send_pictures/script.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from io import BytesIO
 import gradio as gr
 import torch
 from transformers import BlipForConditionalGeneration, BlipProcessor
+from PIL import Image
 
 import modules.chat as chat
 import modules.shared as shared
@@ -25,10 +26,20 @@ def caption_image(raw_image):
 
 def generate_chat_picture(picture, name1, name2):
     text = f'*{name1} sends {name2} a picture that contains the following: "{caption_image(picture)}"*'
+    # lower the resolution of sent images for the chat, otherwise the log size gets out of control quickly with all the base64 values in visible history
+    width, height = picture.size
+    if (width > 300):
+        height = int(height * (300 / width))
+        width = 300
+    elif (height > 300):
+        width = int(width * (300 / height))
+        height = 300        
+    newsize = (width, height)
+    picture = picture.resize(newsize, Image.LANCZOS)
     buffer = BytesIO()
     picture.save(buffer, format="JPEG")
     img_str = base64.b64encode(buffer.getvalue()).decode('utf-8')
-    visible_text = f'<img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,{img_str}">'
+    visible_text = f'<img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,{img_str}" alt="{text}">'
     return text, visible_text
 
 def ui():
diff --git a/extensions/silero_tts/script.py b/extensions/silero_tts/script.py
index f611dc27..447c7033 100644
--- a/extensions/silero_tts/script.py
+++ b/extensions/silero_tts/script.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 import gradio as gr
 import torch
+import re
 
 import modules.chat as chat
 import modules.shared as shared
@@ -46,14 +47,10 @@ def load_model():
 model = load_model()
 
 def remove_surrounded_chars(string):
-    new_string = ""
-    in_star = False
-    for char in string:
-        if char == '*':
-            in_star = not in_star
-        elif not in_star:
-            new_string += char
-    return new_string
+    # regexp is way faster than repeated string concatenation!
+    # this expression matches to 'as few symbols as possible (0 upwards) between any asterisks' OR
+    # 'as few symbols as possible (0 upwards) between an asterisk and the end of the string'
+    return re.sub('\*[^\*]*?(\*|$)','',string)
 
 def remove_tts_from_history(name1, name2):
     for i, entry in enumerate(shared.history['internal']):