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Compliment machine flatters passers-by

Associated Press
Vail, CO Colorado

WASHINGTON ” People walking by a bright red-and-white striped box on a busy street in the nation’s capital may be surprised to hear a reassuring voice say, “You have nice eyes.”

Or, “People are drawn to your positive energy.”

“The Compliment Machine” is the work of Tom Greaves, 46, a Washington artist. It’s part of an exhibit of public art called SitesProject D.C.



Greaves compared the machine to children’s soccer teams, where “win or lose, everyone gets a trophy.”

He recorded 100 compliments, and an iPod Nano inside the machine plays them at random over a speaker ” like a mechanical, speaking fortune cookie.

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Greaves tweaks the compliments every night, adding some and removing others. The iPod is removed at night so it doesn’t get stolen.

The machine operates from about 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day through July 27.


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