Googler Brad Fitzpatrick has dressed up as Facebook for Halloween. Ironic, since he might easily have been a Facebooker dressing up in Google's primary colors right now. Before jumping from Six Apart, he interviewed at both Facebook and Google. And now the two companies are set up for a tumultuous clash — not just over hiring one employee, but over the future of online ads. Facebook is set to announce its own targeted-ad network next week, taking on Google's AdSense; Google is soon to launch open standards for widgets, competing with Facebook's platform for developers. Dave Morin, who manages that platform, had his AIM status set with this message: "Bring it, Fitzpatrick." It's getting scary up in here. Which raises the question: How am I going to put the fright on Silicon Valley this Halloween?

I don't need a costume. I'm just going to go around telling people I'm the Valleywag, to see if they jump out of their skins. Trick or treat!

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