If you travel and often take a laptop computer along, here's some helpful information from a recent article in the Washington Post:

Travelers going through airport security checkpoints these days need to take their computer laptops out of their cases and place them separately on the conveyor belts of the airport X-ray machines. To protect the machines from damage, airline experts suggest you take the following steps:

• Request a plastic tub for your laptop before placing it on the conveyor belt;
  
• Position the laptop in the middle of the belt and behind the carrying case, so that the case can serve as a cushion if the machine slides forward; and
  
• Tape your name onto the laptop itself, so that it doesn't get confused with other laptops with the same general appearance.

Read the full Washington Post article (including info on who's responsible if your laptop is damaged).