Talk is cheap.

Sharon Stone managed to raise more than a million dollars in five minutes. All because she took action.

It happened in Davos, a luxury ski resort in Switzerland where a collection of the world's rich and powerful (including my own Prime Minister) are meeting. From memory this meeting happens on a regular basis - they come and discuss the world economy. With the emphasis on discuss, usually.

The main topic for discussion this year in this lush setting is world poverty.

When Sharon Stone heard that thousands of African children die every month because of a lack of mosquito nets, she decided the time for discussion was over. She stood up and offered 10 thousand dollars of her own money to buy the nets. She knew she could afford it. She then urged the rest of the audience to do the same because she knew THEY could afford it too.

Not every problem in the world can be solved by throwing money at it. But there are plenty that can.