. good thought on Node Block.
. don't prefer Node Ref over Taxonomy yet. In some cases, Taxonomy is still useful.
. RoyalSlider (responsive), something to explore over views slideshow.
. agree about Panels - makes life a little easier for devs in the short-term, but harsh in long-term and is more challenging for clients.

good read for drupal architects.How I Build Drupal Sites: A Fresh-Year Audit
How I Build Drupal Sites: A Fresh-Year Audit
"How do you build a website?" I have been asked this question by friends and family over the years, but I never know how to answer the question — mainly because there are too many vari