Budget nonradioactive methods/kits

[Michael R. Frank]

As I hope to be in the process of setting a new molbio lab soon (both 
teaching lab and research), and may be at a smaller school where there 
is no current radioisotope permit, waste handling expertise, etc., I am 
really leaning toward non-rad methods. Unfortunately, I haven't used any 
to date, tho several friends have had good success with them. 

My question:

What are the best (not necessarily most expensive) kits or systems for 
for this situation? We will want to be doing pcr, northerns, southerns, 
and sequencing. We will probably not have access to an automatic 
sequencer, or phosphorimagers, etc.

All experience (good or bad) and advice appreciated, either posted here 
or emailed to:

mr-frank at uiuc.edu or mrfrank at mailhost.shout.net

Thanks!
Dr. Michael Frank