phantom aid
n.— «Similarly, the amount of international aid that has poured into the country (like the number of soldiers, not enough) is often invisible, what is sometimes called “phantom aid.” Non-governmental aid organizations, while quick to respond to humanitarian disasters and emergencies, revert to bureaucratic procedures that may see simple projects take two years from idea to implementation, and many NGOs hire consultants, some of whom, Col. Capstick said, “make big promises and are never seen again.”» —“Pitching a long view of Afghan mission” by Christie Blatchford Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada) Oct. 5, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Mary Beth in Greenville, South Carolina, wonders: Why do we say four-oh-nine for the number 409 instead of four-zero-nine or four-aught-nine? What are the rules for saying either zero or oh or aught or ought to indicate that arithmetical symbol...
Astronauts returning from space say they experience what’s called the overview effect, a new understanding of the fragility of our planet and our need to reflect on what humans all share as a species. A book about the end of the universe...