As creative as she is, Mother Nature can also be incredibly efficient. Well, let's put it this way, she's not one for wasting a good idea.

This was evidenced again this week as it is being reported that a certain insect species - Afrocimex Constrictus, found in African bat caves - very much replicates the social structure of most agencies in the PR business.

According to a report in LiveScience, scientists have discovered that female bat bugs are impersonating males. Only one out of six females possessed conventional female genitals, while the rest had genitals resembling those seen on males.

Evolutionary biologist Klaus Reinhardt at the University of Sheffield in England said: "We originally set out in the hopes of shedding light on one of nature's strangest phenomena — why males had female genitalia. We ended up uncovering a hotbed of deception."

PR Industry experts were quick to distance themselves from the association. Parket Pierce, CEO of Parker Pierce PR and 2001 PR Women of the Year award winner, said: "I haven't seen the research so I am not saying it's true or false. But I will say that I just don't think that strong and assertive in business can be construed negatively. It's worked for me. My career is my life."

Reinhart concluded that by masquerading as males, females enjoy less sexual attention and subsequently distraction. Given that sex leads to wounding in these bugs, Reinhardt and his colleagues suggest avoiding the trauma of sex makes sense.

Ya know, with all the fervor that surrounds video blogging today, especially among the juniors in the business... we thought we'd take a moment to remind our brethren of PR's rich tradition in using video to communicate directly with consumers. Here's just one sample from the archives:

NOTE: This is also an excellent reference piece when considering best practices.

In our haste to get the story out, apparently we are guilty of a gross omission. Well, at least we got it half right. According to one of our more vocal fans, we only told half the story in our piece last Friday honoring Fleishman-Hillard’s EVP, Senior Partner and Head of Marketing, Rich Jernstedt. The other half is the somewhat sad tale of Rich’s twin brother... Larry.

It is certainly an interesting case study. Larry “Bud” Jernstedt (seen directly below on the right) had the exact same genetic make up, the same upbringing, virtually the same education. Some say, he's every bit the clothes horse as Rich. But for some reason, Larry did not achieve the same level of accomplishment as his illustrious twin.

As we said earlier, Rich is the epitome of success in the PR Biz. On the other hand Larry's career has been somewhat challenged.

Serving for 4 years in the U.S. Navy, Larry rose to the rank of Petty Officer Third Class. Upon leaving the Navy in 1982, he joined Littleton Smails & Associates in Beaverton, Oregon, as an Junior Account Executive in the agency's B2B practice. There he rose to Group Manager in 1992. During that time, he made his mark with his one and only client Mansfield Sprockets. Larry is credited for having written and introduced the technical specs for the now world famous Mansfield 24-Tooth sprocket. In Larry's words, "It not only provides the required clearance for fat 180mm applications, it is designed for use with a 530 power chain without any inner primary modifications."

Due to agency cutbacks, in 1993 Bud went out on his own. After close to seven years of freelancing, he was able to land a part-time position at Dick Hannah Auto Group in Portland. And today, Larry "Bud" Jernstedt is one of the top Suburu salesmen in the State of Oregon.

AGAIN, it's quite an interest study. What possibly could have been the cause of the radically different careers of Larry and Rich? Nature? Nurture? It should be so apparent but at the same time is so hard to say. Certainly, it is something that begs further examination and study by the students of the our industry.

We are simply ecstatic today to recognize yet another giant in the business. Where, indeed, Aaron Cushman characterizes the practice of public relations in the glory years... it's Rich Jernstedt's hair that defines PR today.

Rich Jernstedt's hair (pictured right) presently sits atop Fleishman-Hillard, one of the largest PR firms in the world.  As head of marketing, Rich's hair leads the company's activities aimed at reinforcing the firm's product-based blow-dried bouffant international reputation.

Jernstedt's hair comes to that role with more than 35 years in the corporate grooming biz. During that time, Rich with his perfectly coiffed moss has also attended to senior executives at such companies as McDonald's Corporation, Campbell Soup Company, and Sara Lee Corporation, to name a few.

Prior to Fleishman, Jernstedt's hair spent 26 years at GolinHarris public relations. During his tenure there, that impeccable do played a significant role in the company's growth from a local boutique to the global corporate beauty shop chain it is today. Rich was made CEO in 1991 and remained in that capacity without one hair out of place for 12 years. Not surprisingly, Rich has built quite a reputation in the areas of brand and reputation management.

Mr. Jernstedt's hair is presently a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Public Relations and The Arthur W. Page Society where his hair also serves as secretary. Jernstedt's hair is a founding member of the Board and former chairman of the Council of Public Relations Firms. Mr. Jernstedt's hair presently serves on the Board of Lincoln Park Zoo.

With that hair Jernstedt remains a sought-after speaker on the topics of agency management and marketing communications.

COMMENTARY: What more can anyone say.