Oil spot

The introduction of a high metallic oxide may produce lustrous specks known as an oilspot glaze. This 14 inch high bottle, fired to cone 10 in an electric kiln, has oilspots on a chartreuse glaze.

A project starts in one district, or a group of contiguous districts or communes, and expands into contiguous locales, forming either an ever-expanding circle (oilspot) or a continuous path (vector). […] There are many advantages to concentrating all rural development activities in one oilspot or vector.

"[…] In the language of the French experts, they refer to Neak Luong as the principal 'oilspot⁠' from which their troops could spread rapidly when needed." This shows why Nixon is opposed to even the most minimal congressional restriction on U.S. operations in Cambodia. The "oilspot" technique allows temporary "withdrawals," as long as firm bases or enclaves remain. But to be successful, the "oilspots" have to spread until they cover the whole country.

Some 34 ‘oilspots’ or key target areas have been identified for special attention and a further 200 townships have been earmarked for upgrading projects. […] Mamelodi, 17 kilometres east of Pretoria, is one of the 34 townships designated as ‘oilspots’ by officials of the Joint Management Centres (JMCs).

McCuen recommended what he called an “oilspot” strategy, which meant concentrating the operation on specific spots, gaining control of these and then using them as strategic bases from which to operate outwards and pacify the surrounding region. Adopting both his idea and his term, the security managers targetted thirty-four “oilspots”—including the Vaal Triangle, Atteridgeville, the Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth townships, and Crossroads.

The South Africans have added a new term of their own to the WHAM lexicon: “oilspots.” An oilspot is a strategically chosen township where the uprisings have been suppressed and improvements begun. As this upgrading makes people more content, the theory goes, the calm from this little island will spread outward, like oil over water. Eventually, these expanding pools of calm from many oilspots will merge, and soothe the stormy waters of the whole country.

Sitting in the doorway with its tail curled neatly around its paws, watching with its beady black oilspot eyes, was the mouse. […] His fur was gray, his gait was unsteady, but the oilspots that were his eyes gleamed as brightly as ever.

Fundamentally, the strategy for building international cooperation revolved around the notion of "oilspots"—that is, areas of cooperation (e.g., within NATO, or the OECD, depending on the specific issue at hand), here and there, that would spread and eventually link up with each other. […] The benefit of a "twin track" approach would be that the sub-global organizations would would lend credibility to the UN initiative, while the UN would help spread the "oilspots" to increase overall levels of international cooperation.