Rumors

A longtime top aide and confidant to Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett who has considered running for his boss' seat in 2012 abruptly resigned, the congressman confirmed Thursday, fueling speculation that the 10-term incumbent will not seek another term. Bud Otis, who has served as Bartlett's chief of staff for 11 years and who befriended the congressman more than three decades ago, submitted his resignation after rumors surfaced that he might run for Maryland's newly redrawn 6th District if Bartlett decided to retire.

Madonna might perform at M&T Bank Stadium next year, according to an alleged tour itinerary that was posted earlier this week. A spokeswoman for Madonna has dismissed the rumor. If confirmed, it would be the first concert at the stadium since U2's blockbuster show in June.  The singer, whose tours are highly anticipated because she holds the record of the highest-grossing tour by a solo artist, has been widely rumored to go on tour next year. Earlier this month, rumors also surfaced that she might play at the Super Bowl.

When your father is the "Run" in Run-DMC and your uncle is Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons, it's a gift and a curse to pursue a career in hip-hop. The gift is obvious: unlimited connections, a built-in brand name and hopefully some skills from Dad's DNA. But for Diggy - who raps without using his famous last name - it's the curse that makes the 16-year-old rapper's story interesting. The struggle for Diggy, born Daniel Simmons III, wasn't just the pressure of being born into rap royalty, but also growing up on camera.

Matt Milani, executive chef and owner of Historic Ellicott City's The Rumor Mill Fusion Bar & Restaurant, agreed to be the first chef to offer his personal recipes for a dish and drink for this new feature in Howard Magazine -- Savor & Swirl. Here's a dish we hope you can enjoy at home as well as a drink to complement. Milani reflects: This recipe reminds me of my mother, who made sure we always had a salad at dinnertime. She often tried new recipes so that we'd have different salad dressings, greens and garnishes all the time.

After a day of false speculation resulting in millions of page views for web sites around country, Will and Jada Smith issued a statement Tuesday saying their marriage is not in trouble and they are not separating. Here is the statement: "Although we are reluctant to respond to these kinds of press reports, the rumors circulating about our relationship are completely false. We are still together, and our marriage is intact. " A spokesperson for the Baltimore School for the Arts graduate Jada Pinkett-Smith also spiked reports that the actress was involved with Marc Anthony, a costar on TNT's "Hawthorne.

Proof this is a slow news day: This is what everyone is talking about online. People love them some Clooney. I get it. People, for some reason, care more about his love life than how he's capable of making such great films as "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Michael Clayton. " Now that he's single again, there's already fresh rumors of his new lady love. And it just happens to be ex-wrestler, ex-Ravens cheerleader Stacy Keibler, who hails from Rosedale (b's Wesley Case said she's from "Long Legs, USA. " Yes, he actually said that)

The Rumor Mill is a sweet little hideaway restaurant, tucked back in an alley just off Main Street in Ellicott City. Matthew Milani opened his 30-seat restaurant in 2007 — its full name is The Rumor Mill Fusion Bar and Restaurant. The fusion refers not to Milani's cooking style but to the wide selection of house-infused vodkas and, to a lesser extent, rums featured at the restaurant. There are expected flavors like vanilla, pear and strawberry but plenty of left-field concoctions like soy sauce, cucumber, Thai chili and pickle.

Nikolai Fraiture hopes The Strokes aren't breaking up. The New York five-member band has been dogged with questions about its longevity, relevance and commitment ever since the hype over its first album, "This is It," cooled down in the early 2000s. The latest one came in March, when website Pitchfork suggested the band's latest album, "Angles," could be its last. Fraiture didn't dismiss the story. "At the time, it felt like that," he said. But he's not declaring the band over.

Anatomy of a Trade (Story): These days the best trades are those ESPN makes up, like its one-day Carmelo Anthony-Andrew Bynum blockbuster with as much basis in fact as Bigfoot. Here's what happened: Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak asked Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri what they want for 'Melo. In the NBA version of "Mission: Impossible's" self-destructing messages, both GMs say the other called him, standard practice since the invention of the telephone.

With rumors circulating that legendary quarterback Brett Favre is joining "Dancing with the Stars," the sports blogosphere is close to imploding on itself (and I know, I'm now contributing to it). If the rumors are true, Favre will follow in the dance steps of retired greats such as Emmitt Smith, Kurt Warner and Jerry Rice when the 12th season of the ABC dance-off debuts March 21. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought we got rid of this guy. I used to be a Favre fan back when being anti-Favre was considered to be borderline unpatriotic.