UPDATED: February 19, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. CST

On Thursday morning at approximately 10a.m. EST a Piper Cherokee PA-28 airplane was deliberately crashed into a building in Austin, Texas. Officials say the pilot crashed the plane into the building after starting his home on fire and stealing the plane.

Officials have said that they believe the Piper Cherokee PA-28 belonged to Joseph Andrew Stack. As a precaution, two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Houston, Texas, however, federal authorities said preliminary information did not indicate any terrorist connection to the crash.

"We do not yet know the cause of the plane crash," the Department of Homeland Security said in a release. "At this time, we have no reason to believe there is a nexus to terrorist activity. We continue to gather more information, and are aware there is additional information about the pilot’s history.

"At this time, we are referring further questions to local authorities and the FAA."

As a result of the crash, two people were transported to University Medical Center Brackenridge. University Medial Center Brackenridge is the only Level 1 trauma center for adults in Austin, Texas.

Witnesses described a crash that shook nearby buildings and sent fire and smoke bellowing into the sky.

Firefighters used two ladder trucks and other equipment to hose down the blaze at the Echelon office building, which police said is in the 9400 block of Research Boulevard.

The flames seemed mostly extinguished about 75 minutes later.

The FAA said preliminary information indicated the plane departed Georgetown Municipal Airport north of Austin about 9:40 a.m. CT. An FAA spokeswoman said the plane was Piper Cherokee PA-28.

Jack Lillis, an attendant at Georgetown airport, said initial indications are that the flight originated there but there were conflicting reports and he could not verify that information.

The pilot evidently did not file a flight plan, the FAA said. No flight plan was required because the flight was under visual flight rules, or VFR, because of clear weather.

The Internal Revenue Service in Dallas told CNN the building is a federal IRS center with 199 employees. IRS officials were trying to determine if all the employees were accounted for.

Initially, Attorney General Eric Holder decided to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in federal court in New York, however a number of politicians have since spoken out against the plan.

Congress may choose to limit the funding for that federal trial, and "that’s the only reason the president is taking [a military tribunal] into consideration," Biden told moderator Bob Schieffer of “Face the Nation”.

"We have no doubt the best, most effective, legal way to get his guy behind bars for the longest time and get the most information with the most certainty is in an Article Three court," he said, referring to the federal system.

The President is now awaiting recommendations from Attorney General Eric Holder as to whether there are other options. In the meantime the administration is working with lawmakers to make sure the military tribunal system would stand up to constitutional scrutiny.

With the perception that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is more likely to receive greater punishment before a military tribunal, Biden said that is incorrect.

"There have been three people tried and convicted by the last administration in military courts. Two are walking the street right now," Biden said. "There have been over 300 tried in federal courts by the last administration and by us. They’re all in jail now."

The announcement made some internet users worry about government interference online, but some crime victims said even more should be done.

"When someone is convicted of a crime he loses his civil liberty though sentencing," said Gary Trowdell of Families United, a group founded by relatives of young murder victims. "We say he should use his cyber-liberty as well."

While British prisoners are banned from using social networking sites like Facebook and bar almost all inmates from access to the internet, except for educational purposes under supervision, unlike many European countries. However, authorities acknowledge that some have used smuggled mobile phones to update their pages, or have gotten friends on the outside to do it for them.

Last month The Sunday Times reported that Colin Gunn – a gangland boss convicted of conspiring to murder a couple in 2004 – In one posting, Gunn, said: “I will be home one day and I can’t wait to look into certain people’s eyes and see the fear of me being there.”

Facebook said it took the problem seriously and would close down accounts that violated its rules, which ban harassment and intimidation and prohibit the creation of fake profiles.

"Facebook is absolutely committed to keeping its sites safe and clean," said spokeswoman Sophy Silver. "The World Wide Web can be a wild and unruly place. Facebook tries to put some rules and protocols on top of the unruly Web."

Today as day broke, a 5.9 aftershock struck, shrieking Haitians ran from buildings and walls, fearing a repeat of the magnitude 7 earthquake that killed tens of thousands just eight days earlier. Though the strongest shock since January 12, it did not appear to cause any major new destruction or to slow the international relief effort now bolstered by more U.S. troops.

Today, U.S. Marines in landing craft brought ashore bulldozers, mechanical diggers and trucks on a beach at Neply village west of Port-au-Prince from warships anchored offshore.

U.S. Troops on the beach handed out food rations and set up temporary shelters for the homeless. Crowds of Haitians quietly watched as the Marines set up a forward base in the grounds of an old mission school, pitching rows of tents flanked by a row of latrines.

So far, feared outbreaks of infectious diseases have not erupted, although many of the injured have faced the immediate threat of tetanus and gangrene.

Hospitals were overwhelmed and doctors lacked anesthesia, forcing them to use local painkillers. Doctors Without Borders said there were backlogs of patients at some of the surgical sites and are seeing untreated wounds. “Some victims are already dying of Sepsis.” the group said on Wednesday.

International search teams are still combing the rubble for survivors and had pulled 121 people from collapsed buildings according to the Pan-American Health Organization.

HOW CAN YOU HELP THE HAITI RELIEF EFFORT

If you are interested in helping with the relief effort, there are a number of ways you can help.

http://www.musicforrelief.org/ – Download a compilation of unreleased music. You can Download the album and then Donate to help the relief effort.

About Music for Relief: Founded by the band Linkin Park, Music for Relief is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing aid to victims of natural disasters and the prevention of such disasters. Since its inception in 2005, Music for Relief has raised over $3 million for victims of multiple disasters across four continents and planted over 810,000 trees to help reduce global warming.

http://www.redcross.org – Your gift to the American Red Cross will support emergency relief and recovery efforts to help those people affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Assistance provided by the American Red Cross may include deploying personnel, sending relief supplies, and providing financial resources.

About American Red Cross: Since its founding in 1881 by visionary leader Clara Barton, the American Red Cross has been the nation’s premier emergency response organization. As part of a worldwide movement that offers neutral humanitarian care to the victims of war, the American Red Cross distinguishes itself by also aiding victims of devastating natural disasters. Over the years, the organization has expanded its services, always with the aim of preventing and relieving suffering.

Today, in addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers compassionate services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs.

http://www.unicef.org – Support UNICEF’s relief work in Haiti by making a secure donation today.

About UNICEF: With its strong presence in 155 countries, UNICEF is the world’s leading advocate for children. We have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at the grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality.

The official New York City observance of the anniversary of 9/11 will take place at the World Trade Center site on the morning of Friday, September 11th, 2009. In honor of the new federal designation of September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, family members will read the names of all 2,751 victims aloud. Each family member will be paired with a volunteer from the five boroughs who will represent the spirit of compassion and giving that unified New York City in the weeks and months following the tragedy.

As always, four moments of silence will be observed to commemorate the times when each plane hit and each tower fell. At sunset, the famous "Tribute in Light" will return to the skies above New York City for the night.

As with previous years, there will be a memorial service held at the Flight 93 National Memorial. The formal commemorative service will take place on Friday morning, September 11, 2009, a short distance from the crash site on Skyline Road near Shanksville, Pennsylvania (please see specific directions to the site). The service begins at 9:45 AM.

There is also going to be a memorial service held at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Wreath laying will take place at 9:40 a.m. The memorial commemorates the 184 lives lost in the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77 during the terrorist attacks. The Pentagon Memorial is free and open to the public 24 hours a day. Feel free to visit any time.

NASA is undergoing a restoration project that will be completed in the fall, with the restoration project, NASA is restoring it’s recently found high resolution television footage from the Apollo 11 moon walk.

NASA has released some of the footage in High Definition video on their web site. You can view the 720p videos by visiting NASA’s HD video gallery on their web site. You will need to have Apple Quicktime installed in order to view the videos.

At 11am EDT on Thursday, July 16, 2009 NASA will hold a press conference and release the recently found 40 year old television broadcast of that historic moonwalk.  "The release will feature 15 key moments from Neil Armstrong’s and Buzz Aldrin’s historic moonwalk using what is believed to be the best available broadcast-format copies of the lunar excursion, some of which had been locked away for nearly 40 years.”

When NASA put a man on the moon it was a triumph of achievement for the United States as it showed its technical capabilities and its dedication to space exploration. NASA spent years planning and developing specialized equipment for the mission. One such piece of equipment was a high resolution video camera that would send back images to Earth. 

Due to the lack of technology at the time, the video feed from the moon actually had to be compressed and scaled down to work on televisions across the world. After the initial recording of the high resolution video feed the film went missing after its shipment back to the US. The only surviving footage was a 16mm film that was shot at black and white TV which gives us the only surviving recorded copy until today.

The initial video released Thursday is part of a comprehensive Apollo 11 moonwalk restoration project expected to be completed by the fall.

The Newseum is located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. The news conference will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency’s Internet homepage.

Participants in the briefing will be:
– Richard Nafzger, team lead and Goddard engineer
– Stan Lebar, former Westinghouse Electric program manager
– Mike Inchalik, president of Lowry Digital, Burbank, Calif.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedule information and streaming video, visit:

nasa.gov/tv (Click Here)

As we reported this weekend former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was found dead in a condominium in Nashville, Tennessee. We later discovered that his death was ruled a homicide by authorities in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to several reports from various news networks, the 20 year old female [Sahel Kazemi] who was found with McNair had recently purchased a gun.

Also, a  relative [Farzin Abdi] of Sahel Kazemi stated the he did not believe Kazemi would have shot McNair and herself because she had no motive, but says police told him they are almost sure Kazemi was the shooter.

In addition, Abdi says Kazemi believed McNair was to divorce his wife and Kazemi was preparing to sell her furniture and move in with him [McNair].

Nashville police didn’t immediately have a reaction to Abdi’s comments.

Police say McNair was the victim of homicide, though they aren’t yet ready to label Sahel Kazemi’s death a suicide.

Meanwhile, a public memorial and viewings are scheduled for later this week for the slain former NFL quarterback Steve McNair.

The public will have the opportunity to attend viewings in Nashville on Thursday, followed by a memorial service later that evening at Mount Zion Baptist Church.

A funeral service will be held Saturday in Mississippi but arrangements are not yet final. McNair, 36, was from Mt. Olive, which is a small town in southern Mississippi.

Fans are asked to make donations to the Steve McNair Foundation.

Image Credit: CBS News / AP

Earlier today we reported that former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was found dead, along with another woman in a condominium in the upscale Rutledge Hill neighborhood of Tennessee.

police said Sunday, but authorities stopped short of saying it was a murder-suicide committed by the 20-year-old girlfriend found dead by his side.

McNair, 36, was shot four times, twice in the head, by a semiautomatic pistol, Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said. The woman who has now been identified, Sahel Kazemi, was killed by a single gunshot wound and the pistol was found under her body, Aaron said.

In an interview today with the Associated Press (AP) Don Aaron stated: "That’s a very important part of the investigation as we work to ultimately classify Miss Kazemi’s death."  when asked whether this could have been caused by a “lovers quarrel”. 

McNair, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, was married with four children. He and Kazemi were found dead Saturday afternoon at a Nashville condominium he shared with a friend, and police said Sunday that it appears the two died in the early morning.

Police earlier said they weren’t looking for any suspects and do not believe McNair’s wife was involved. Mechelle McNair, mother of two of his four sons, was expected to collect her husband’s belongings from authorities. Funeral arrangements were not expected to be finalized until Monday afternoon at the earliest.

According to an  arrest affidavit from Thursday said Kazemi had bloodshot eyes and alcohol on her breath when she was pulled over, but refused a breathalyzer test, saying "she was not drunk, she was high."

McNair and his family frequented the restaurant where Kazemi was a waitress, according to employees and patrons of Dave & Buster’s in Nashville.

"She was reliable 90 percent of the time," manager Chris Truelove said of Kazemi. "She was pretty outgoing. A lot of the guests liked being around her, and she liked being around the guests."

Co-worker Shantez Jobe, 33, said she was friends with Kazemi.

"We talked about who had more fashion sense, and who was the cutest, and who could get more boys, you know some of the stuff girls do," Jobe said.

In June, McNair opened a restaurant near the Tennessee State University campus. It was closed Saturday evening, but had become a small memorial, where flowers, candles and notes had been placed outside the door.

McNair led the Titans to the 2000 Super Bowl, which they lost 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams. He was co-MVP of the NFL with Colts quarterback Peyton Manning in 2003.

Manning said in a statement Sunday that he had some great battles with the quarterback.

"Sharing the NFL MVP honor with him in 2003 was special because of what a great football player he was," Manning said. "I had the opportunity to play in a couple of Pro Bowls with him, and the time spent with him in Hawaii I’ll never forget. I’ll truly miss him. My condolences go out to his family."

McNair is survived by Mechelle, his wife of nearly 12 years; and sons Junior, Steven, Tyler and Trenton.

Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair, whose most noted drive was the final one of the 2000 Super Bowl, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head Saturday afternoon in a downtown condominium. Police said a woman was also shot dead.

McNair was 36 and played 13 seasons before retiring in April 2008. Police spokesman Don Aaron said officials tentatively identified the woman, but did not release her name. He confirmed she wasn’t McNair’s wife, Mechelle.

In an interview with the Associated Press (AP), He said authorities were still investigating the shootings and that no suspects were in custody..

“I don’t have any answers for you now as to what’s happened, who’s responsible,” Aaron said.

“There are persons who were around the complex today, visitors, who have been taken to headquarters for questioning, just to see what they know, what they may have seen,” he said.

Aaron said officers went to the scene after receiving a call about injured persons inside the condo.

“When police officers arrived in response to that call, they found two individuals who had been shot to death inside the residence,” he said.

According to the AP McNair was known to frequent the condominium but does not know if he is the owner of the residence. In addition, about 50 people crowded just beyond police tape outside the complex in the upscale Rutledge Hill neighborhood, some wearing Titans hats. The condominium is located within walking distance of an area filled with restaurants and nightspots, a few blocks from the Cumberland River and within view of the Titans’ stadium.