Jason Varitek to retire Thursday

Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek will announce his retirement this week.

Globe File Photo/2005

Varitek, a two-time World Series champion and the captain of the Red Sox, will announce his retirement this week in Fort Myers.

02-27-12: Fort Myers, FL: Don't know how much fun he was having, but Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett was throwing long toss in the outfield today. (Globe Staff Photo/Jim Davis) section:sports topic:spring training

Josh Beckett angry about Red Sox ‘snitches’

In an expletive-filled interview with WEEI.com, Beckett claimed there were clubhouse “snitches” who revealed his clubhouse misbehavior to the media last fall.

Editorial

Boston should crack down on satellite dishes on house fronts

The City Council should vote to send a measure that would ban satellite dishes from building façades to the mayor, who has already signaled his support for it.

Living Longer, Living Better

Boosting returns in your retirement plan

Tired of watching your portfolio poke along and want to nudge it forward? Here are some tricks to help.

After fight, 29 students in Lynn suspended

The Lynn English High School students were disciplined after a fight between two girls was videotaped by students, who did nothing to stop it.

Essex DA to probe motive in Beverly officer’s shooting

After indicating that an investigation into the motive would end, a spokeswoman for the district attorney said that motive “is of course relevant” to the investigation.

Poll: GOP primary bitterness a boost for Obama

Voters are viewing all the Republican candidates less favorably than they did several months ago, and Obama is pulling ahead in head-to-head polls.

Opinion

US apologies sound empty

Whatever motives initially drove the American war effort in Afghanistan, the one undeniable result of the US intervention is the profound alienation of a people we claimed to want to help, writes James Carroll.

“Most chicken owners consider their birds as family pets and would be devastated to lose them.”

Dakota Butterfield,  58, of Jamaica Plain

Globe Insiders

Globe Insider Event | March 5, 5:30 p.m.

http://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2012/02/17/BostonGlobe.com/Special/Images/508746086[1]--90x90.jpg ‘The Real Romney’

Globe editorial page editor Peter S. Canellos moderates a discussion with Globe writers Scott Helman, Scot Lehigh, and Frank Phillips on the Republican presidential candidate.

Business

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‘Do Not Track’ won’t halt data flow

The Obama administration has pushed to give consumers more control over what personal data is collected online. But Web users would hardly be invisible.

Health and wellness

G Force

Dr. Jack P. Shonkoff

Targeting toxic stress in children

Dr. Jack P. Shonkoff, director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard, has launched a national campaign against ‘‘toxic stress’’ in childhood.

Arts

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BOOK REVIEW

“The End of Money” by David Wolman

‘The End of Money’ by David Wolman

Wolman examines the current state of the physical cash system worldwide, why we might be better off without it, and what the future might hold.

Ideas

“As criminal justice became a clash of mandates and bureaucratic rules, it became untethered from what was once its basic function: separating the guilty from the innocent and delivering fair punishment.”

Leon Neyfakh, on “The Collapse of American Criminal Justice”