I remember rather clearly how the very strong growth figures for the first quarter were described as a temporary aberratino that would not last. I don't remember the same critical note being given to this quarter's numbers, seen immediately as proof of the eurozone's crash.

Depends by whom. I remember rather clearly how the very strong growth figures (+0.6% -mind you they have been twice revised downwards since, to 0.4%) for the first quarter were described by Christine Lagarde as glorious and oh-so-significant, proof positive that Sarkozy had anticipated everything and that the infamous "paquet fiscal" worked brilliantly and was just what had been needed, while the second quarter (-0.3%) was merely described as due to a worldwide tendency, that we had adverted better than most (really? based on that figure?) thanks to the glorious "paquet fiscal", proof positive that we needed more of it.

Methinks some people have caught the neoliberal disease on our shores...

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed. Gandhi