MEANWHILE, BACK IN CAMDEN...

When we last left Jersey's caped marijuana crusader, Ed "NJWeedman"
Forchion, he was on his way to Superior Court in Camden. His mission was a
petition to legally change his name to NJWeedman com.

Well, he entered the courtroom that fateful day, March 26, to the giggles
of his peers, for he was donning a mock-superhero outfit emblazed with a
cannabis leaf. He was armed only with his principles - and two bongs
side-holstered to his Batman-style utility belt.

He'd been down this road before, Forchion had.

In 2002, he'd also tried to get his name changed to the aforementioned
Weedman, but his pleas were ignored by a system that considered the moniker
switch as nothing more than an elaborate attempt to promote illegal ganja
sales.

Not so, contended Forchion, declaring that it's merely a way to attract
hits to his website which -- it just so happens -- is his primary means of
publicity for an upcoming run for Washington, against U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton
this fall.

Sure, Forchion openly admitted at the hearing to regularly smoking weed.
But, he argued, he hadn't sold it in mass since 1997!

"I think I did once or twice," Forchion was quoted in court documents as
having said. "You know, I'm buying a bag for myself and I think I did once
or twice take the money for someone else and throw a little tax on it and
give it to them. But as far as a business, as far as enhancing some
criminal activity that the State alleges, no - not at least in four years."

Ultimately, Superior Court Judge John A. Fratto played the Lex Luther role,
deciding to uphold the name-change restriction on grounds that Forchion
"could and would use the name NJWeedman com to enhance his participation in
the sale or distribution of marijuana."

Ever persistent, Forchion's now crying foul. In a press release, Forchion
likened himself to Dred Scott, the appellant in the infamous Scott v.
Sanford Supreme Court decision which asserted that African Americans had no
federally protected rights as citizens. Inspired by this new analogy,
Forchion has a new plan: He intends to petition the court with another
socially tabooed personal title. This time, he wants to be called, "Just A
Nigger."

"There are 30 million people in this country that smoke marijuana, but they
say I can't get my name changed?" an exasperated Forchion asked this week.
"This is my body, not the government's body. I can do whatever I want to do
with my body!"

Aside from his identity crisis, Forchion is also preparing to file suit
against Comcast for refusing to air his campaign ads. It's political
censorship, says Forchion, from a corporation in cahoots with his opponent.
(Comcast spokesman Patrick MacElroy declined to comment earlier this week
because of the pending litigation.)

So, we leave you now with his battle against Comcast, Forchion's continuing
monthly campaign of pot "smoke-outs" at the Liberty Bell and the
proposition of this new name change. What's next for caped crusader?

Tune in next time.