Aug. 23--Colorado Springs is among the reddest of Republican strongholds. A Democrat hasn't won the presidential election here since 1964.Check the county clerk's office to see for yourself: Registered Republican voters outnumber Democrats more than 2-to-1. The county clerk insists that all waiting room TVs in the building play Fox News. He says if you don't like it, don't watch.

How we deal with your type

Not everyone in town always agrees with the president. About 1,000 people gathered to protest the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Colorado Springs police dispersed the crowd, which was blocking traffic, but was otherwise nonviolent, using tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and Tasers.

Fast Food Nation

Yep, that best-seller about hamburgers, which your smarty-pants liberal friends recommended, was based on Colorado Springs. Author Eric Schlosser wrote about the city, "Burger Kings, Wendy's and McDonald's, Subways, Pizza Huts, and Taco Bells, they keep appearing along the road, the same buildings and signage replaying like a tape loop. You can drive for 20 minutes, pass another fast food cluster, and feel like you've gotten nowhere." So what? We like it that way.

Focus on the Family

The city is the world headquarters for James Dobson's conservative colossus, where every day his "traditional values" radio show goes out to an estimated 2 million listeners. Dobson's organization doesn't like you. Focus employees made a video asking supporters to pray for "rain of biblical proportions" during Sen. Barack Obama's acceptance speech at Invesco Field.

The Rev. Ted Haggard

Once one of the most influential evangelicals in the nation, Haggard was an adviser to President Bush. He was head of the National Association of Evangelicals. He built his New Life Church into the biggest in Colorado. It has 14,000 congregants. Sure, he has been out of the picture since he allegedly bought meth for a gay prostitute in 2006 and engaged in what he called "sexual immorality." But he completed his "spiritual restoration" earlier this year, so he could be back any day.

Air Force Academy

Sure, this government-run military academy is supposed to be secular, but many cadets have complained of a Jesus freak atmosphere of proselytizing, harassment and discrimination against nonevangelicals. Not into Jesus? Maybe try CU Boulder.

Armed to the teeth

Gun control, around here, means knowing how to hit your target. El Paso County has the highest number of concealed-carry permits in the state, 8,400. That means of every 1,000 people, about 14 are packing heat. The gun love doesn't stop there.