Idea book

So, Writing Excuses, which I listen to semi regularly, is structured as a 'master class' this year. I'm going to follow along and do (and post!) at least some of my exercises. As I said, I'm only a semi-regular listener. I listen to them all, but sometimes I'll go a few weeks without listening and then binge on three or four episodes at once. This being January, and summer, I'm just getting started.

The first episode focuses on coming up with ideas. I have lots of ideas, most of which I think of and promptly forget. Not so useful. I'll try to be better here. These were the prompts we were supplied for the exercise:

From an interview or conversation you've had:
*Pigs, baby cows, chickens, and other farm animals destined for slaughter are kept in deplorable conditions that cause them to go crazy. What would happen if they were released suddenly? What would happen if their craziness was somehow transmitted to whoever ate the meat?
*Pests evolve ways around pesticides and herbicides. Overuse of pesticides and herbicides brings about the demise of said chemical.

From research you've done (reading science news, military history, etc): *Hackable pacemaker.
*Man who lies (stealing identities, going into debt and walking away from it) in order to get an education because he's otherwise too poor to get education he wants. Succeeds in getting an education but is later pulled down by revelation of his past.

From observation (go for a walk!):
*Man in a pink helmet, climbing off the side of a bridge toward something I can't see. What is he going toward? What if he falls?

From a piece of media (watch a movie):
*Morality of the TV show Grimm--it's okay to steal a baby from a woman to keep that baby away from a group in leadership. Also okay to kill a bunch of people who are enforcing a racist rule. Why are rules so flexible and what will the consequences of that moral flexibility be?

From a piece of music (with or without lyrics):
*Sylvia is a girl being pestered by an ex boyfriend. She's leaving on a train with her new boyfriend and the old one just wants to say goodbye, but her mother won't let him. How does Sylvia feel? Is she grateful to her mother, or annoyed, disappointed to not have some closure with the guy?

Other random ideas:
*A woman who relishes swearing because she's been in a situation where she can't swear for a long time. Enjoys the feel of the swear words in her mouth.
*Polygamist wives who are steampunk engineers