How well do you know the legendary life of Ross Perot Sr.?
Test your knowledge of this great American patriot, the subject of a fascinating new book -- SEARCHING FOR PEROT - My Journey to Discover Texas' Top Family by Dave Lieber.
How did young Ross Perot break his nose?
As a youngster he was paid $1 for every horse he broke. Eventually, he raised it to $1.50. His mother was horrified, but his father supported him.
Breaking horses.
A schoolyard disagreement.
Falling from a tree.
Ross Perot was chairman of the U.S. Naval Academy’s Honor Code Committee. Why did he resign?
He resigned after a midshipman committed an unethical act and due to the prominence of the man’s parents, the matter was swept under the rug. After Perot resigned in principle, the offending midshipman was punished. Perot returned to the committee and led the writing of the Honor Code which is still in force today.
He did not resign. He was fired due to an unethical act.
He continued to make unacceptable mistakes during his time at the U.S. Naval Academy.
A midshipman committed an unethical act that was swept under the rug.
When it comes to the creation of Perot’s revolutionary computer services company Electronic Data Systems, what is the significance of the sleeping cot?
Perot promised his computer customers that if there were a problem, he or his employees would move a cot into the data processing room and spend all night working on a solution.
The cot was part of EDS’ original logo and signalled dedication to customer service.
He promised his customers he would move a cot into the data processing room if there were a problem.
He managed a child friendly workplace where a cot was available for employees bringing a child to work.
Can you name any of the more significant suggestions Perot made to the leaders of General Motors when he became GM’s largest stockholder?
Perot wanted to end executive perks. He wanted members of the board of directors to stop getting free cars every three months. He wanted executives to move their offices closer to the factory floor to get in touch with workers. And he wanted to end the executives-only dining room because, he said, eating meals with workers would help executives learn what’s going on in their company.
Diversify their services.
End executive perks.
Build electric cars as soon as possible.
Why did Perot take a risk and enter the Iranian prison where his two employees were being held hostage?
It was a move he acknowledged was nutty because Perot would have made a perfect hostage for the Iranians. But he wasn’t recognized when he entered the maximum-security prison to meet his two employees. He felt he needed to go to reassure them he was doing everything he could to free them. He felt responsible because he had sent them to Iran.
The two particular employees were his most valuable, and the business could not run without them.
He wanted to show Iranians how tough he was by personally entering the prison.
He felt responsible and wanted to show he would do everything he could to free them.
When Perot led the restructuring of the Texas public education system in the mid-1980s, he pushed through a new rule called “no pass/no play.” What is that?
If a student didn’t pass every one of her or his classes, she or he could not participate in any extracurricular activity (including – egads! – football) for six weeks. Eventually, the punishment period was shortened to three weeks. The no pass/no play rule remains in place today.
If a student didn't pass every class they were not allowed to do extracurricular activities.
Students were required to have an authorized pass to enter the schoolyard to play.
A student needed to pass at two least two classes in order to be allowed a recreation period.
When Perot participated in three presidential debates in 1992 with President George H.W. Bush and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, what one character trait of his helped him perform exceptionally well?
Americans loved his down home sense of humor.
His kindness.
His detailed economic plan.
His wit.
What was Perot’s dream for the new Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas?
Perot understood the importance of American students not falling behind other nations' students in science and math.
He needed a place to store his extensive dinosaur bone collection.
He wanted to get America’s youth interested in science to maintain our competitiveness in the world.
He wanted to have the funniest-looking building in the entire city.
Perot helped thousands of people who had serious problems they couldn’t solve on their own. These could be medical issues, wartime injuries or folks who were down on their luck.
This would truly be his defining character trait.
True.
False.
Perot was a master prankster. Which one of these pranks did he pull?
So much fun! You'll want to hear so much more in Dave Lieber's new book -- SEARCHING FOR PEROT - My Journey to Discover Texas' Top Family.
Get your copy at PerotBook.com.
Get your copy at PerotBook.com.
He placed 12-foot topiaries carved to resemble naked women on the front lawns of his friends.
He once took a group of New York financial wizards out to lunch at his private club which turned out to be a greasy BBQ joint near his office.
He bought a ratty trailer for his daughter and son-in-law and pretended it was their new home.
All of the above.
You got {number correct} / 10 answers correct, your score is {percent correct} / 100
This is all new to you, and we can’t wait for you to hear about this man’s life.
You'll want to hear so much more in Dave Lieber's new book -- SEARCHING FOR PEROT - My Journey to Discover Texas' Top Family.
Get your copy at PerotBook.com.
You got {number correct} / 10 answers correct, your score is {percent correct} / 100
You could be a former EDS employee. You certainly know your Perot trivia. You’ll love the book, since you’re obviously a big Perot fan.
You'll want to hear so much more in Dave Lieber's new book -- SEARCHING FOR PEROT - My Journey to Discover Texas' Top Family.
Get your copy at PerotBook.com.
You got {number correct} / 10 answers correct, your score is {percent correct} / 100
You are probably a Perot family member or a one-time leader of the Perotmania political movement. Congratulations on your excellent score. This test was designed to be difficult. You’ll love the book since these stories and many, many more are fun to hear.
Dave Lieber's new book is -- SEARCHING FOR PEROT - My Journey to Discover Texas' Top Family.
Get your copy at PerotBook.com.