Akaka gets ready to leave building  

We’re heading into the final inning of U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka’s career on Capitol Hill, where both houses of Congress are set to adjourn today to let members go home and campaign.

(Wow. Didn’t these guys just get back from another recess?)

Hawaii’s veteran junior senator, retiring after the end of the year, won the accolades of a packed room of colleagues and staff after chairing the final hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia.

Akaka will return to work after the election before hanging up his senatorial hat for good. The farewell tribute he’d really love would be passage of his pared-down bill for a Native Hawaiian sovereign government. This, he believes, is the vehicle with the best chance, even if it passes sometime after he retires.

Most people think we’ll be lucky if the lame-duck Congress doesn’t shut down the U.S. government, let alone allow another one to start up. But stay tuned.

Little ole Lanai in big company

What do Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Larry Ellison have in common?

Yes, they are the top three richest people (in that order) on this year’s Forbes 400 list of richest Americans.

That’s not the only connection, of course — there’s also Lanai.

You’ll recall that Ellison recently bought the island from fellow billionaire David Murdoch (a lowly 190 on the rich list). You’ll also recall that Gates took over Lanai on Jan. 1, 1994, for his wedding to Melinda Ann French. One of the honored guests? Warren Buffett.