Helen, I have two issues with your post from 25-Aug-00 - 08:56 PM:

I don't think that any person can definitively state what reality is
you write and avoid the issue. Last weak we had many sightings of a lion in a German wood. Wrong perception or reality (there are circuses and zoos near there, so it is possible)? It matters for the walkers over there and the question 'is the animal real or imagined' cannot be answered satisfactorily by your above statement. If we two had a car crash and you had a green light and I'd say 'Well, for me, my light was green, that's my reality and you can't tell me that your reality is any better, for even scientists don't agree on that concept' you'd take me to court for I bet you believe in your daily life that there is a reality out there and that a court has at least a chance to find it out.

Check out the experiments being done by the Russian and American governments in trying to harness psychic abilities. They are taking it seriously enough to actually experiment with it in controlled circumstances, and appear to be having some good results.
If you're speaking about military research (as I understood you) that's one of the myths you often read when you only read the pro side. There has been scarcely any empirical research (compared to other areas) from the military funds (they pay now and then a bit on the off chance to get something spectacular for nearly no investment) and it has not had any good results.
If you want to read something real on that issue, I cite from 'Enhancing Human Performance', D. Druckman, J. A. Swets, Editors, the report of a committee of the National Academy of Science (US) asked by the Army Research Institute to "examine the potential value of certain techniques that have been proposed to enhance human performance". In their summary on the paranormal phenomena, especially parapsychology, they write:
"...the bulk of the work does not meet the standards necessary to contribute to the knowledge base of science...
the best scientific evidence does not justify the conclusion that...gathering information...without the intervention of known sensory mechanisms exists...
The committee is aware of the discrepancy between the lack of scientific evidence and the strength of many individuals' beliefs in paranormal phenomena...
Many proponents believe that the scientific method may be not the ...most appropriate method for establishing the reality of paranormal phenomena. Unfortunately, the alternative methods...create just those conditions that psychologists have found to enhance human tendencies toward self-deception and suggestibility"
Now that's a bit of research sponsored by the army.

Now let me tell you what would convince me beyond any reasonable doubt. If there'd be just one consistently repeatable experimental result. If I lecture about perception, memory, attention or what else I can make classrooms demonstrations for many findings. That is the students don't have to believe me, they can see for themselves. It works. After 120 years of research on psi or ESP there's not a single classroom demonstration that works.

Wolfgang