It nice to see that the farming and ranching traditions of Livermore's past live on to this day. You see, seven men were nabbed this past Sunday in connection with a cockfighting ring on the 4000 block of North Livermore Avenue. Ick.

Busted while a fowl fight was in progress, officers arrested three gentlemen from Alameda, two blokes from Livermore, one from San Jose, and another from Las Vegas. Police officers also uncovered "300 gamecocks being used or prepared for use in cockfights" as well as 150 gamecocks and hens in an unincorporated part of Livermore. All of the birds, it seems, are worth up to $500,000. Wow.

Authorities are in the process of finding "sustainable homes" for the poor little birds.

Once considered acceptable in the US--even our founding papas George Washington and Thomas Jefferson used participated in the sport--cockfighting is now banned in all states except for Louisiana. Britney Spears' home state will officially outlaw cockfighting in August of this year.