You could rig up a cheap wireless security camera and place it somewhere that the the would-be burglar will see it, like right next to your laptop. Maybe even add a sign that says, "Jesus is watching you." Something like this camera might do nicely. I don't know how much space you have in your bags, but if you could stand traveling with it, this would be a workable solution for a hotel or apartment. I guess I'm not sure whether Odessa-dwellers would be deterred by that or not.
Another solution for a hotel, where you can't fully control access to the room, could be to add an additional lock to the door. Something like this lockS, maybe? It's possible that will just draw attention to you. It's also possible that one kick would dislodge the lock. ...Well, it's an option anyway.
If there is a fixed object in the room, I like the Kensington Lock idea, but a table probably isn't going to do it. With a really short cable, maybe you could hitch it to a large weight set. (Perfect for travel, right?)
@ThornstonS's idea of leaving cash on a table is a good one. Hide the laptop; leave the cash in the open. I'm guessing most people would take the cash and run. If you don't want to lose the cash, either, I recommend substituting the cash for a sandwich.