Some interesting plugins-
http://wordpress.org/plugins/global-content-blocks/screenshots/
http://wordpress.org/plugins/mpress-custom-front-page/installation/
http://wordpress.org/plugins/remove-posts-in-category-from-homepage/
http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-exclude-from-homepage/screenshots/
http://wordpress.org/plugins/drag-and-sort/screenshots/
http://wordpress.org/plugins/smart-wysiwyg-blocks-of-content/faq/