Showing results by narrator "Scott R Smith" in All Categories

The welfare state rests on the assumption that people have rights to food, shelter, health care, retirement income, and other goods provided by the government. David Kelley examines the historical origins of that assumption, and the rationale used to support it today.

Contemporary views of business ethics often show businessmen and women in a bad light. Egoism, profits, and competition are branded as immoral, while social consciousness is praised. Atlas Society Senior Scholar Stephen Hicks, PhD, disagrees with this point of view. Most contemporary business ethics does business a disservice. Worse than that, its proposed cures are plagued with unintended consequences that are often much worse than the problems it is attempting to solve. Hicks defends the egoism that drives successful business people and the morality of free-market capitalism.

In Ayn Rand and Altruism, George H. Smith calls attention to benevolence in Rand’s thinking. Indeed, Smith defends Rand’s rejection of altruism by contrasting it to benevolence. In this series of essays, originally published on Libertarianism.org and republished by The Atlas Society with permission of the author, Smith begins by establishing that Rand’s definition of altruism - “the placing of others above self, of their interests above one’s own” - is identical to the definition of altruism originated by Auguste Comte.

This Christian healing audiobook delves into the negative and downright devastating events that occur in our lives that break our faithful hearts and trample our spirits, but it won’t be man-made wisdom pellets being handed out here. This is a Christian journey to find God in the midst of our sorrow.

Alone on the couch one night, Reed and his partner are both summoned to the hospital to find two of their colleagues have been viciously attacked, left for dead on the side of the road with very little evidence to go on. With emotions high and the entire department vowing revenge, Captain Grimes assigns the case to Reed and Billie, offering them any resources available in finding the culprit. What at first seemed just an isolated incident soon begins to spiral as more bodies are found.

Homecoming is a steamy BDSM romance. Lucas Hudson has six weeks remaining before leaving his small town for college, but first, he must adjust to the return of his new stepbrother, Dane Bolton, from the Marine Corps. Although initially reluctant about the return of the local hero and former football jock, who had been three years ahead of him in high school, Lucas develops an instant crush on his new roommate.

Evelyn Winters enjoyed spending the summers at her grandmother's cabin. There was always something interesting to do, whether tending the garden or exploring the surrounding swampy forest of the Smoky Mountains. She never cared to learn the witching ways of her grandmother - until the devil showed up. When Eldon Jenkins is found dead, torn limb from limb by a wild beast, and the devil comes creeping around the cabin, grandma keeps it at bay. But when grandma goes missing, Evelyn must rely on her wits, training, and dormant abilities.

What is the nature of benevolence toward other people? How does it differ from altruism? Is it a major or minor virtue? How does it relate to the benevolent sense of life? David Kelley answers these questions in a groundbreaking work. Unrugged Individualism is the first philosophical analysis of benevolence from the Objectivist point of view, a major addition to the Objectivist ethics, and a convincing demonstration of the fertility of the system of ideas originated by Ayn Rand.

For paramedic Adam Carson, his world is lights and sirens and saving lives. Pressures at work keep him firmly in the closet, and life is too busy to contend with the complications that come with dating and relationships. When a familiar face from his past turns up where he least expects it, Adam starts to question whether or not there is room in his life for those complications. The last person forensic pathologist Sam McKenna expects to see at pub night is Adam, the guy who made his life hell in high school.

We all know the formula, and we all love the stories. Boy meets boy, one's a closeted jock and the other's a sweet college student with a heart of gold. The jock is always cautious and worried how others will perceive him. The gay protagonist is always too good to be true, and dare we say, dumb? Then it's all forbidden glances, angst, and misunderstandings, right? Well, this isn't one of those stories.

When Broker Assistant Kathy Jenkins overhears a suspicious conversation between her boss and an unknown person, she's thrust into a dangerous situation, leading to her wrongful termination. Hiring Scott Winslow, Kathy aims to expose the wrongdoing, while Lee Henry's unconventional investigation uncovers a network of seasoned brokers dealing in non-public information without a paper trail.

An IED blew up more than Marc North's career as a Cobra pilot: it shattered his plans for marriage. After being dumped by his girlfriend and spending more than a year in rehab, all he wants is to fly again. He jumps at the chance to partner with a combat buddy in a helicopter sightseeing business.

You’re born with a brilliant mind, but it doesn’t come with a user’s guide or an on-off switch. Left to its own devices, it can feel like your worst enemy when its survival-based default program keeps you focused on what is wrong with you and your world.

Have you ever wondered why two people who have a similar physical appearance or medical condition can have such different lives? Some people judge themselves constantly and are obsessed with looking perfect, while others exude confidence despite their imperfections. Some people are sensitive to receiving comments about their bodies, while others aren’t looking to others for approval and acceptance. Some people are depressed by their chronic illness, while others live peacefully despite their disease.

Amanda has it all: a successful career, a loving husband, and a stable life. Until one day, when it all comes undone in an avalanche of murder, blackmail, and an all-in search for big money that can't be found. When Amanda discovers her husband, Brian, having an affair, she wants to end their marriage. But when Brian and his lover are murdered, detectives seeking to catch the killer think that Amanda may have a pretty good motive. Soon, Amanda discovers that someone wanted her husband silenced, and a huge amount of money is missing—money whose whereabouts he has taken to his grave.

Six weeks prior, on the heels of the most hellish case he could ever remember, Detective Reed Mattox and his K-9 partner, Billie, were placed on administrative leave from the Columbus Police Department. Fearful of what the media might say, the brass decided to put them at arm’s length, allowing the aftermath of that fateful night to settle. Not used to being placed on the sidelines, and no good at sitting still for long, the decision was made to travel west to his native Oklahoma and help his parents begin the long process of unpacking their new home.

When two executives in the pharmaceutical industry step forward to complain the drug test results being published are not accurate, they don’t expect to be fired; and they don’t expect anyone to be stalked, beaten, or killed. They have no idea what they will be up against for revealing a secret that will cost their employer billions of dollars.

Less than a week before Christmas, Columbus Detective Reed Mattox and his K-9 partner receive a call from dispatch. The body of a young woman has been found floating in the Olentangy River, her teeth forcibly removed, her fingerprints obliterated, any chance at a positive identification residing only within the string of inexplicable tattoos inked across the bottom of her feet.

If you would like to get into a positive, faithful mind-set in this time of global fear, this is the most important book you will hear. The methods shared within have worked great for me and allowed my life to unfold without stress or worry. But I’m not suggesting that everyone who listens to this book is going to become calm or anxiety-free, as I don’t know how committed to creating a better life the people who listen to this are.

John isn’t known for having the perfect gift for everyone at Christmas. He usually hits the malls in the final hours before they close, grabs the last thing on the shelf, and cringes as the gifts are unwrapped. But this year is different. He’s determined to do better. However, on his way to a store in downtown Salem, he spots a crowd of people and sees a woman on the rooftop of a five-story building, about to jump to her death.