A great new feature of AutoCAD 2004 is the Tool Palette.  One of the things that it lets you do is easily create a symbol library where you can select the desired block, with predefined properties such as Layer and Color, from the Tool Palette and insert it by dragging and dropping it into the drawing.  You can also insert the block by left-clicking on it in the Tool Palette, then you are given a prompt at the command line where you can specify the insertion point of the block by typing in the desired coordinate or by using your Object Snaps to select a point in the drawing.  This will allow you to be more precise than using the drag and drop method.

 

The hidden part of the command is when you insert a block from a Tool Palette by left-clicking on it you can specify a scale or rotation for the block even though there is no option shown for it at the command prompt.  Just type S for Scale or R for Rotation followed by and Enter when you are asked to specify the insertion point of the block.  This will give you even more control over the blocks that you insert from the Tool Palette without affecting the properties of the tool that you have already specified.