THE ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHER DIOGENES can hang up his lamp and end his centuries’ old quest — an honest man has been found!

ALL HAIL OUTSPOKEN, BRAVE BILLIONAIRE WARREN BUFFETT who stood up, facing anger and hostility from some of his selfish peers, and told it like it is — THE MEGA-RICH SHOULD PAY MORE TAXES!

IN AN OPINION PIECE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, Buffet said households that have a taxable income of $1 million or more a year should pay more taxes and households with incomes of $10 million or more a year should cough up even more. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? We are talking millions here, millions in income a year.

LEAVE THE RATES FOR THE OTHER 99.7 PERCENT OF TAXPAYERS UNCHANGED, this savvy seer of Omaha suggested.

“MY FRIENDS AND I HAVE BEEN CODDLED long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress,” Buffett wrote. “It is time our government got serious about shared sacrifice.”

BILLIONAIRE BUFFETT is chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, and despite his wealth, lives a comparatively simple, non-gilt-edged life, driving an old car and residing in a small home. And he has pledged most of his wealth for charities when he dies, besides the good work he accomplishes now.

DRIVING HOME HIS TAX-RICH THEORY, Buffett reminded that the mega-rich pay income taxes at a rate of 15 percent on most investment income but practically nothing in payroll taxes. The middle class, what’s left of it, falls into the 15 to 25 per cent bracket and pays heavy payroll taxes. Warren says higher tax rates will not keep anyone from investing.

BOLSTERING BUFFETT’S CALL FOR HIGHER TAXES ON THE MEGA-RICH is his insistence that many of the super-rich “wouldn’t mind paying more in taxes, especially when so many fellow citizens are suffering.”

BACK TO DIOGENES who carried a lighted lamp even in daylight “looking for an honest man.” The philosopher said, “Virtue is better revealed in action than in theory ... I seek an honest man but find only rascals and scoundrels. ... Wisdom and happiness belong to the man who is independent of society.”

GO TO OMAHA, DIOGENES, and seek out Warren Buffett. Your search is over.

Gossip, gossip, gossip

WHO IS THE GOLD COAST COUPLE who quarreled at a busy restaurant and left after throwing their food at each other, leaving her with tomato and mayo on her dress and him with a fresh salad on his blazer — and neither paid the check?

BEWARE THE DITZY BRUNETTE DIVORCEE now asking guys in bars for contributions to help the starving in Haiti. She has a record of taking cash and heading for the casinos.

ACTRESS GOLDIE HAWN is such a draw the Lynn Sage Cancer Foundation benefit luncheon at the Ritz Sept. 19 is sold out. Goldie is guest speaker.

KELLY OSBOURNE will spark Macy’s Sept. 8 fashion night out shopping extravaganza.

SOME REAL HOUSEWIVES will meet fans at the Water Tower Place’s fashion lounge to highlight the shopping events. Sept. 1 Orange County’s Gretchen Rossi will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Sept. 8, there will be a book signing from 6 to 8 p.m. with one of the Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa Giudice, who has an Italian family cookbook.

OPRAH WINFREY AND LONGTIME PUBLICIST Lisa Halliday (who has left her employ) are still good pals, reports the New York Post. After a dozen years at Harpo, Lisa will live in L.A.

SHOE DESIGNER BRIAN ATWOOD, son of Dusty and Alexander Stemer, got engaged to his boyfriend Dr. Jake Deutsch while vacationing in Greece. They are now sporting matching rings. Brian’s fans include Mila Kunis, Emma Stone, Eva Longoria, Madonna and Rachel Zoe. Talented Atwood and interior designer Nate Berkus were partners for several years.

REMEMBER OUR ADVICE, “GET IT IN WRITING?” Now comes a $10 million he-said-she-said lawsuit from a Brazilian soap star who is furious that billionaire George Soros did not give her a “promised” Manhattan condo. Soros allegedly gave the apartment to another woman he was dating. If only there was something in writing, but there is not. Soros’ lawyer says they were in a “nonexclusive” relationship and the argument would have been better settled privately. Hey, girls. Carry a pen and paper at all times and turn pillowtalk into real assets. If a man really intends to gift you with something, he will not mind signing on. If he won’t sign, don’t be fooled.

RESPECTED ACTOR MARTIN SHEEN was the honoree at the Chicago International Film Festival summer gala at the AMC River East theater where the premiere of The Way, directed by son Emilio Estevez, was hailed. Sheen, father of flamboyant Charlie Sheen, has an enviable record of film and TV achievements.

NO ACCIDENTS, THANKFULLY, MARRED the annual Air and Water Show, but savvy citizens were concerned about planes loaded with jet fuel flying near high rises.

COCO PAZZO is always a rocking restaurant with attractive foodies on tap. On a recent night we spotted: Sasha Seigel and Sue Carey, Brad Griffiths and Tiffani Kim, Ray Drymalski, Reuben Donnelley, Mamie Walton, Buddy and Averill Leviton, Susan and Fred Gohl, Marvin Sacks, Kurt and Sylvia Muller, Sherrill and John Bodine, Lisa and Duane Gengler, Phyllis Caplin, Ben Sosewitz, Sam Sax, Countess Mimi Fairview, and Burns Cabot.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACH, tough Jillian Michaels of The Biggest Loser, attended the grand opening of Flywheel Chicago, an indoor cycling studio at State and Huron streets. She met chef Art Smith of Table 52, who has lost a ton of weight and is now a poster boy for looking good and making healthy choices.

WHO ARE OUR TOP ART COLLECTORS? ACCORDING TO ARTNEWS they are: the Ken Griffiths, Neil Bluhm, Stefan Edlis and wife Gael Neeson, the Eric Lefkoskys, Penny Pritzker and husband Dr. Bryan Traubert, and the Harvey Plotnicks.

WAS COCO CHANEL A NAZI SPY? A new biography, Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel’s Secret War by Paris-based writer Hal Vaughan reminds she took a German officer lover and asserts she was anti-Semitic and worked for military intelligence as a Nazi sympathizer.

A DELICIOUS BENEFIT, TOQUE DINING, Sept. 8, raises funds for the Children’s Oncology Services and features our top chefs at the Renaissance Hotel. Participating are Graham Elliot, Randy Zweiban, Stephanie Izard, Mindy Segal, Mark Steuer, Ryan Pitts, Ryan Poli, Cleetus Friedman, Erick Williams, Tony Galzin, Jason Hammel and Chris Pandel. Kids with cancer benefit as Dr. Sandy Goldberg hosts and Michael Kornick guides the chefs. Call 312-924-4220 for info.

CINDY GALVIN is accepting congratulations on winning an Excellence Award for Special Events at the New York International Gift Fair. Her store, Maze Home, staffed a luxury gifting suite for celebs during the Oscar presentation, giving gift bags that included a unique leather bracelet key ring. Maze also hosted a red carpet party when the group returned from Hollywood.

LUCILLE BALL would be 100 this month, and her Palm Springs home is on the market.

DOGS FINALLY GET THEIR DAY ... Usually considered worth market value or less, killed canines have never been valued, until now. A federal jury awarded $333,000 to a family after police raided their South Side home and shot their black Labrador, 9-year-old Lady, as she wagged her tail. Cops had a search warrant and were looking for drugs, but found none. The dog’s owner had asked permission to lock up Lady before cops entered, but the request was denied. Perhaps now, police will think twice before shooting a non-threatening canine. Money won’t bring Lady back.

GIGI THE THIRD is our new pet, rescued from the streets. She lied about her age, insisting she was 4 but the vet examined her teeth and said she is 6. When found, the Shih Tzu/Chihuahua mix was emaciated, and so covered with mud and dirt that rescuers thought they had found a 4-pound rabbit. Our Gigi now weighs 8 pounds, is always hungry, but perfectly housebroken and playful. Smart and obedient, everyone loves the black and white charmer. Our sincere thanks to PAWS, Lake Shore Animal Shelter, Almost Home Shelter and Friends of Chicago Animal Care & Control for their help in finding the perfect dog to replace our sainted Gigi the First. All our tails are wagging.

A RENAISSANCE WOMAN who swam with sharks off Capetown, and finds the cats in Africa beautiful and exciting, is lovely Sakina Shirazi, the divorced mother of one son and three daughters. Sakina, who sews many of her own chic clothes, graduated from the fashion design program at the School of the Art Institute. A fine photographer, she cherishes pix she has made of the tigers and leopards in the wild and travels to see them as often as possible. On her home turf, she tends an exquisite rose garden. Sakina is proud of her son, Dr. Haider Shirazi, and her daughters, Sadia, an architect, and Saira, an attorney. She can’t wait to fly to Africa, ride elephants and visit the awesome animals “whose beauty always renews and amazes me.”

LARRY KING CAN HANDLE ANYTHING … After all, he’s been married eight times to seven women, and he has met and talked to everyone important in this world. So there he was at Sugar Rautbord’s book party for him, and he looked bored and tired. Larry had been to the Cubs game, sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and chatted with the announcers, now he was forced to be charming to dozens of fawning men and women. He gritted his teeth and signed copies of his entertaining book, Truth Be Told, posed for pix and survived. In the crowd of his fan club were Walter and Susie Jacobson, Jerry and Jim Stone, Suzie Glickman, Holly Hunt, Art Smith, Irene Michaels, Arny Granat, Ken Norgan. Also present: cupcakes adorned with frosting shirt and suspenders. Cute.

GORGEOUS RUSSIAN BRIDE LARISA KRONFELD, who recently was married to David Kronfeld, venture capitalist investor, was Larry King’s dinnermate after Sugar’s party, and she laughed when he told her she was the perfect 100 percent Russian spy. “Larry was so interesting, told great stories, has a fine sense of humor,” said Larisa, “and he discussed Putin with my husband. Larry is doing a special on Russia and David has business with him.”

IN HIS BOOK, LARRY KING reports he would like to interview Bernie Madoff whose Ponzi scheme took his $780,000. But Larry says he has gotten it all back! Let us hope others with Madoff losses are as lucky … If King could interview Casey Anthony, whose daughter was found dead, what would he ask her? “I would ask, ‘how did she die?’ … and of Charlie Sheen who self-destructed before our eyes, I would ask, ‘why? Charlie, why?’” … If anyone could get answers, it is Larry King.

PICTURED AT A RECENT BENEFIT were Angela Rose, founder of PAVE (Promoting Awareness and Victim Empowerment) with club-owning entrepreneur Billy Dec.

IN YOUR FUTURE … FASHION’S NIGHT OUT is Sept. 8 and stores will offer customers a shopping paradise of special events, gifts, sales, music, fashion shows, etc. … NASA ASTRONAUT CAPT. JAMES LOVELL is honorary chair of Adler Planetarium’s Celestial Ball Sept. 10, honoring Illinois Tool Works CEO David Speer … AWARD-WINNING DESIGNER Quinton de’ Alexander shows off his fab fashions Sept. 13 at Maxim’s Tea, Couture and Me … JOFFREY BALLET’S Couture and Cocktails is Sept. 23 at the Hudson, featuring David Meister from Neiman Marcus … PREVENT CHILD ABUSE’s benefit is Bowl with a Bear Sept. 16 at Pinstripes, Northbrook … GLENKIRK BRUNCH is Sept. 25 at Ravinia Green Country Club … 7TH CHICAGO LOOP ALLIANCE gala is Sept. 30 in the Art Institute’s Modern Wing.

WHO DO YOU LOVE TO HATE? Four women and six men make up the 10 most hated celebs, according to a poll of 1,100 by Nielsen E-Poll Market Research. They are, rated by mucho dislike, with the most vilified first — Casey Anthony, Spencer Pratt, Octomom Nadya Suleman, O.J. Simpson, Jon Gosselin (we can’t stand his ex-wife), Levi Johnston, Jesse James, Paris Hilton, Heidi Fleiss, Howard Stern. We are only surprised at Spencer Pratt because we didn’t think he was THAT famous, and we didn’t realize Miss Fleiss was that well known to the average person. Who knew people were that sophisticated? Casey Anthony has had death threats, so angry are men and women who fell in love with her adorable darling Caylee, 2. Paris is a non-talent irritant and we are shocked that the creepy Kardashians didn’t make the list. Spare us their butts and million dollar rings.

“IF MOTHERS RULED THE WORLD, THERE WOULDN’T BE ANY GOD-DAMNED WARS IN THE FIRST PLACE.” —ACTRESS SALLY FIELD

CONTACT: annbgerber@gmail.com or 847-677-2232