Ask HN: Tools for web design?

In the past, when putting together page designs, I just wrote HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. While I'm fairly satisfied with my results, each design iteration took a fairly long time. (Coding takes time, and that's that.)

What tools do designers use to put together mockups like the aa.com redesign making the rounds (http://dustincurtis.com/dear_american_airlines_redesign.html)? I don't care about clickability. I do not need HTML export. I'm also not looking for tools like Balsamiq, OmniGraffle, or Mockingbird which don't produce results which look like the final product. (I use pen and paper for the initial thinking stage.)

Photoshop is an obvious candidate, and while I have some proficiency with it, it does not seem right to use a photo editor designed for print for web design. There must be something easier out there.

What does everyone use?