But despite these convulsions, there have been times of close co-operation - in the first Gulf War, in Bosnia and now Afghanistan.

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Earlier in the day, a high-ranking official said the operation had been hampered at times by limited electrical power south of 36th Street in Manhattan.

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Dr Piff himself suggests that the increased compassion which seems to exist among the poor increases generosity and helpfulness, and promotes a level of trust and co-operation that can prove essential for survival during hard times.

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Times were always tight for the all-volunteer operation, but it kept broadcasting and recording.

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He provided live coverage of the first operation performed during the war, and performed life-saving brain surgery five times himself in a desert operating room.

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The footage was shot during a surveillance operation involving Mr Rodney, 25, who was shot six times at point-blank range.

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Whitmarsh, who was previously just the CEO of the F1 operation, said there were times both he and Dennis did not see eye-to-eye.

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Furthermore, hospital waiting times start when the consultant gives the go-ahead for an operation.

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Natalie Camarata, Memorial Hermann's digital marketing manager, told Mashable the plan to live tweet the operation was hatched following the open-heart surgery, which was viewed an estimated 125 million times through Twitter, Storify and media coverage.

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In the worst of times, it is near impossible without support from New York state and the co-operation of the unions.

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