K9 bait and switch

Q: If you saw a link on a website that asked you to join a group that was 'against the use of live dogs as shark bait'... you'd think it was a joke as well, right?

A: I'd probably laugh heartily and go on about my day, browsing the porn site on which I found the link.

Watch out, though, animal activism is being used as part of a new internet scam whereby users foolhardy enough to click the link are infected with a virus called "p.42.tech_psych". This dangerous virus causes your computer to emit low-frequency electronic sonic pulses through the PC speaker.

Over time, the sounds interfere with the electronic signals of the human brain and cause erratic behaviour, such as making appointments you don't intend to keep, lurching at unsuspecting commuters on public transport, or glancing at one's watch repeatedly and giggling. In some cases, it has even been seen to cause an unnatural attraction to peanut butter, to the extent that several incedents have been reported at local supermarkets.

This is not a virus you want to get, folks, so be warned.

As an aside, or perhaps more to the point, dogs make excellent shark bait. Dog hairs lubricate the shark's oesophagus and aid in digestion once the animal has been devoured.