By: Hettie Basil Lighttower

I have had much feedback on the columns about DMV stuff the last couple of weeks. Thanks for all of your replies and interests. I suppose we really just need to pay close attention to what we are doing as we are driving and learn all these new rules as we go along.
Most of the concern is accuracy, defending our rights and also our freedoms. With all the new T’s to cross and I’s to dot, leaving our house for whatever reason may soon feel like being a target every time. Some of us will have more anxiety than others about it, and freewill is definitely being attacked.
I have more good news, recently, there was a very large billboard in Wheeling WV that simply said Palantir. Are you familiar with what this fun thing is? If you Google it AI will gladly tell you that it is an American software company that develops data integration and analytics software. It was founded in 2003. It provides tools used by government agencies, military organizations and private companies to analyze and manage large datasets.
Sounds simple enough. It sounds like it is here to help the world run more efficiently. We can all use more of efficiency, right? So with this extra large billboard simply having only one word on it in Wheeling, tells me that it is now in Wheeling or coming to Wheeling. And if you have a marketing background, what are your thoughts as to why it would only say “Palantir” on it? What is the point that it is trying to make?
I don’t have a marketing degree, but I have had to learn some things in marketing since being a business owner. I have learned that everything has a deliberate meaning and that there are certain ways to get a point across and that you should be concise and prioritize in order to quickly get the attention of the potential customers or they lose interest fast. So you need to say what is the most important thing only.
So why would this new-to-us company come to Wheeling and not explain anything about themselves? Any ideas? To me the message of just their name, and it isn’t even the full name, is we are here, we have arrived. We are not broadcasting WHERE we are or exactly what it is that we are doing here, but see us, just know we have arrived. The full name of the company is Palantir Technologies Inc.
I am only guessing that because my research about them had to do with collecting data, government, military and large amounts of data that most likely they are the ones who will be managing all these new cameras on the road and being the “Big Brother”. They will be the one using all of our own private information against us? Private meaning our phone conversations, where our eyes are when we are driving, what we are saying while we are driving.
The DMV didn’t mention that our own cars will be able to monitor us. But I would put money on it that they can and will. After all we already have the features of alarms going off when we cross a lane line on the pavement, and automatic brights to go on and off, and windshield wipers to turn on when a certain amount of rain hits the windshield. So, monitoring being done by our vehicles all under the name of “convenience” is already taking place.
And I know you have to know many other convenient new features of vehicles so I can go on and on about those but I will just mention “blow and go’s” built in as a biggie. That is where your car just won’t start at all if you have an unacceptable level of alcohol on your breath. All vehicles are soon to have those. Because drinking is so common and most everyone does it, even just socially it will create a catch 22 for us. Easy targets, now that we all are addicted to alcohol and it is the most dangerous legal “drug” there is. I do understand it is possible to save lives because a lot of lives have been lost from drunken idiots. It is very upsetting. But I see this as more of a hassle for those of you who do drink responsibly and possibly will have this freedom of driving taken away if your car says so.
Also in my research I found that many people are against these data centers being built in their state and in their area. One idea is to not sell your property to these big spenders who want your land for one. Another idea is to plant endangered species of plants on the property so it cannot be touched. I suppose the centers have to be in a particular centralized area and keep track of so many (data components) per capita.
It seems like they would just as easily move on down the road a little and get a different plot if there were “no’s” and valuable plants. In the meantime, I hope you familiarize yourself with this name and see what your opinion or understanding of them are. I just did not get a warm fuzzy feeling when I saw the billboard. I felt like they are saying, “we are here, whether you like it or not and that is just the way it is going to be, step aside.” There was nothing explanatory or friendly about the billboard at all. It was actually ominous.
Send in your notions and comments to [email protected] . And remember, kindness is contagious~*