Shout out to the answerer who said Blackrock instead a’ Blackwater—I mix those two companies up all the time, too! Those names both conjure up the image a’ some kinda faceless corporation threatenin’ world domination. But only Blackwater goes around killin’ people directly; whereas Blackrock (or I guess BlackRock is the proper way to write it) threatens world domination in a more borin’ white-collar sorta way: i.e., it’s just yer average run-a’-the-mill gigantic Wall Street investment firm.

Well, maybe “run-a’-the-mill”’s underplayin’ it a bit? I guess apparently BlackRock’s the largest asset manager in the world! That’s a lot. So maybe closer to “runnin’ the mill”, eh?

Anyways, BlackRock runs somethin’ called iShares, which is their brand for a category a’ financial products that let ya invest in all sorts a’ different things—includin’ most typically big market indexes like the S&P 500 or whatever, but also stuff like currencies ’n’ commodities ’n’ bars a’ gold—without havin’ to actually hold the underlyin’ thing itself. (Which I guess makes it kinda like a mutual fund, but ... different? Somehow?? The internet tells me they’re more convenient than mutual funds ’cause ya can buy ’n’ sell ’em on the market like any other security. An’ also maybe they’re better for tax purposes?1)

Anyway, this general category a’ financial products go by what three-letter acronym?

I think there was some minor news splash not too long ago when BlackRock launched one a’ these products to track the price a’ Bitcoin, which I guess caused the price a’ Bitcoin to pop up a bit?

I dunno, all this financial stuff ... it’s a lot! If I’m bein’ honest, I dunno what half that stuff I just wrote means! I’m just try’na stumble through it as best I can, like the rest a’ youse guys.

So, uh, maybe let’s take a left turn an’ ask instead ’bout ... candy?

Yeah, candy! Hooray for candy!!

I assume youse guys already know ’bout sprinkles. Y’know, those little colorful sweet thingies—they’re I guess ya’d call ’em pill-shaped?—an’ ya put ’em on cookies ’n’ ice cream ’n’ cakes or whatever? Some a’ youse might call ’em “jimmies” ... which is a li’l weird, but hey, de gustibus etc.

I mean, I dunno why I’m explainin’ sprinkles to youse guys. They’re sprinkles! Ya know what sprinkles are.

Anyway, what do ya call those sprinkles that are like little balls? Here’s a picture a’ what I’m talkin’ ’bout:

Apparently folks outside the U.S. sometimes called ’em “hundreds and thousands”? I kinda love that! But nah, the word I’m lookin’ for’s from the French for “without equal”.