An interesting sight in the governor’s briefing room, Room 1190 of the state Capitol, just moments before Governor Schwarzenegger walked in for his post-election news conference.

An employee of the state’s Department of General Services was walking back and forth with a small device in his hand, that kind of resembled those portable bar-code scanners in department stores.

What was it, several of us asked? A temperature gauge, as it turns out. The DGS worker said that Schwarzenegger prefers the room to be exactly 68 degrees. And soon after, the air conditioner kicked in, presumably to just that temperature.

The DGS “temperature tech” (my term, not his) said he’s also assigned to keep Schwarzenegger’s office the same pleasant 68 degrees.