terminate a list of ec2 servers, passed in from stdin

starter.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
import boto
import sys

ec2 = boto.connect_ec2()

# cat a file that contains ec2 instance ids into me and
# I will eat them up and turn them off

for instance in sys.stdin:
    ec2.start_instances(instance)

stopper.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
import boto
import sys

ec2 = boto.connect_ec2()

# cat a file that contains ec2 instance ids into me and
# I will eat them up and stop (pause) them

for instance in sys.stdin:
    ec2.stop_instances(instance)

terminator.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
import boto
import sys

ec2 = boto.connect_ec2()

# cat a file that contains ec2 instance ids into me and
# I will eat them up and start them

for instance in sys.stdin:
    ec2.terminate_instances(instance)

Setup your boto config before using this:
http://code.google.com/p/boto/wiki/BotoConfig