I know I've been traveling too much when it occurs to me that I was at some airport recently where the laptop bins were foam rubber padded (take your pick between ORD, SEA, CVG, DTW, MSP, DFW, AUS, MCI). The only thing that I wondered about there was the likelihood of that material building up a static charge (I wonder about those plastic bins, as well).

As for pulling out all the electronic gear... oh man! SFO was doing that initially and it was a pain. I carry a laptop, a digital camera, a Blackberry, a Nextel phone and a variety of wires, spare batteries, and chargers for all that gear. You all don't want me in front of you if I have to unload all of that, plus my belt and shoes.

Interestingly, I can't think of the last time my laptop got swabbed or my laptop bag got hand searched.