Mediator:  You cannot mediate in the manner the Straus Institute taught you to do.  You have to come to terms with that.

Galileo was ordered to stand trial on suspicion of heresy in 1633. The sentence of the Inquisition was in three essential parts:  Galileo was found "vehemently suspect of heresy," namely of having held the opinions that the Sun lies motionless at the centre of the universe, that the Earth is not at its centre and moves, and that one may hold and defend an opinion as probable after it has been declared contrary to Holy Scripture. He was required to "abjure, curse and detest" those opinions.^[102]

of Copernicus: 

Some people believe that it is excellent and correct to work out a thing as absurd as did that Sarmatian [i.e., Polish] astronomer [Copernicus] who moves the earth and stops the sun. Indeed, wise rulers should have curbed such light-mindedness.

The telephone:

This "telephone" has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us. A memo at Western Union, 1878 (or 1876).

The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys. Sir William Preece, Chief Engineer, British Post Office, 1878.

It's a great invention but who would want to use it anyway? Rutherford B. Hayes, U.S. President, after a demonstration of Alexander Bell's telephone, 1877.

Automobiles

The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty—a fad.   The president of the Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford's lawyer not to invest in the Ford Motor Co., 1903.

The ordinary 'horseless carriage' is at present a luxury for the wealthy; and although its price will probably fall in the future, it will never, of course, come into as common use as the bicycle. Literary Digest, 1899.

Women's Rights

Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote.  Grover Cleveland, U.S. President, 1905.

People's Potential

Reagan doesn’t have that presidential look. United Artists Executive, rejecting Ronald Reagan as lead in 1964 film The Best Man

I'm sorry, Mr Kipling, but you just don't know how to use the English language. The San Francisco Examiner, rejecting a submission by Rudyard Kipling in 1889

We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.  Decca Records, when they rejected The Beatles, 1962.

...so many centuries after the Creation it is unlikely that anyone could find hitherto unknown lands of any value.  Committee advising King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain regarding a proposal by Christopher Columbus, 1486.

Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy. Associates of Edwin L. Drake refusing his suggestion to drill for oil in 1859

A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make.  Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies.

So we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet.' Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computer Inc., on his and Steve Wozniak's early attempts to distribute their personal computer.

Soon!  42-hour law school.