You probably never heard of Transparency International (I hadn’t), and that’s a pity because their mission is to fight corruption around the globe - and there is way too much of that in this uneasy world of ours.

The organization recently came out with their annual rankings of nations - in terms of corruption (and thanks, Gadling, for the heads-up).

Corruption is defined by Transparency as, “the misuse of entrusted power for private gain.”

These countries - out of a total of 165 — topped the list as “least corrupt” (and note the emphasis on Scandinavia):

• Denmark
• Sweden
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• Finland

Looks like Norway fell down on the job this year - they only made it to #14 - the U.S. meanwhile made a very respectable showing at #18 (better than France, mon amis).

Last place: Somalia. No surprise, as most of the countries at the end of the list are unbearably poor.

From the crime blotter: Cops in Holly Springs, Georgia are Thieves.

Well, idea thieves, anyway.

They recently stole an idea from the airlines - the fuel surcharge! Beginning July 1, Holly Springs finest will add a $12 surcharge to all moving violations (no, not $350).

Saw the story in USA Today. It quotes some local whining about the new fee (”…government officials are trying to take money from citizens’ pockets…”).

Oh, boo-hoo.

Just don’t speed. Got that? And stay off the cell phone while you’re at it.

Disclaimer: This post is NOT appropriate for the kids…

In the time we’ve been covering the airline industry, we’ve seen our share of strange flights and bizarre occurrences.

There have been drunk passengers, drunk flight attendants, miniskirts, and ladies who dubbed themselves “too pretty to fly.”

But NONE of that prepared us for THIS story that ran on Sky Talk today.

Keep reading to see what can happen while sleeping on a plane…

Creepy story from CNN. A teenage boy is under arrest; he told the cops he planned to hijack a commercial jet, and crash it into a “Hannah Montana” concert in Lafayette, Louisiana (apparently, the kid is from there).

Would sound kinda funny, or at least like something out of a teen-angst-novel, if the kid hadn’t been carrying handcuffs, duct tape and a rope.

What is going on? Sign of the times? The odd nutcake? Did anybody not notice that the kid was acting a little weird? I’m depressed…

So there you are, sitting on your United flight out of D.C. on Thanksgiving Day, congratulating yourself for cleverly avoiding the crowds the day before. You figure, heck, I’ll still get to Grandma’s in Sacramento in plenty of time for turkey, but NOOOO.

It seems one of your fellow passengers just had to make like a bull and charge the cockpit. So the captain declares an emergency. And you land in…Fargo. As in North Dakota.

Nobody was hurt. Oh, except Grandma. Cuz you were late.