Boeing announces layoffs of approximately 4500 employees today, in what is turning into an employment death drum here in the Seattle area.

While the Rumors of the Microsoft layoff were for the most part debunked, with just enough fear left over to keep everyone in Redmond busy doing what they are doing and laying as low as possible, other industries in Seattle are busy announcing layoffs. The Seattle PI is for sale, Boeing is laying off, the Startup community laid off back in October of 2008, the town is just not going to be happy today.

Boeing announced Friday that it is planning to lay-off 4500 workers from its commercial airplanes division, because of the faltering economy. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports. The commercial airplanes division builds wide body planes in Washington State like the 747 in Everett and the 737 in Renton. Source: OPB News

With unemployment now worst than it was during the Dot Com bust in 2001, there are going to be continual stories like this, which is going to influence how people spend or do not spend. This will also change attitudes for businesses that are busy building out non-critical necessities for devices. While casual games are going to sharply increase, people who are making applications that are not entertainment and might not have an immediate value in relationship to what people need to do to make money to pay the bills are going to come under pressure.

Some of the Iphone Applications, as well as web sites that link restaurants to people, and other services like that are going to have a very hard time in 2009 unless the jobs come back and people start feeling comfortable with the economy again. Boeing is just adding to the long list of companies cutting back, unfortunately Seattle is dependent upon two major industries, aircraft and software, both of which are being hit hard right now.

Tags: boeing, lay off, confirmed