False. They do not all have the same structure as Bitcoin. Many of them are explicitly structured as pyramid schemes (premining, instamining, stealth launches, closed source launches).
While very few have unique selling points over Bitcoin, it is dangerous to assume they are 'at least as useful' as Bitcoin.
What happens if you have an array 2x2 meters? Or 20x20? Does the wave have to completely encompass the object to act on it, without exception? In that case we may need to revisit the lower frequencies and attempt to move balloons, etc. Some relation to the resonant frequency of the object being targeted may be involved.
Most Bitcoin users don't believe this will happen, for what it's worth. The 'armageddon facedown with the government over Bitcoin' is just another doomsday fantasy popular with those who enjoy doomsday fantasies.
The rational types have already seen it taxed as capital gains in several countries. It's not even a question of if they will fight it anymore. They were never going to.
And the yields from mining have decreased by orders of magnitude over the last several decades as technology increases have made it more possible, while less efficient, to extract additional known deposits.
This has actually been done. You can now do protein folding and SETI (and a bunch of GMO research) while mining. Gridcoin is working with the full cooperation of the UC Berkeley BOINC project and is compatible with your choice of dozens of research projects: http://gridcoin.us
In the case of clones Namecoin/Primecoin/Gridcoin/Datacoin and others, there is even useful work being performed as part of the protocol of the software. Gridcoin's block rewards, for example, scale 30x in favor of those who devote enough computing resources to BOINC to achieve a BOINC score of 100.
It's all in the brainstorming stages. Distributed Autonomous Government is also theoretically possible, offering voluntary participation, transparent workings and direct democracy.
The reported stealth launch is interesting, if depressing. Stealth launches are essentially a deniable form of premine and not a good indicator for a coin's future, historically. I know I won't be trading this coin or recommending its markets.
The doge brand is the USP. Most LTC clones are already largely undifferentiated, so this is actually a strong contender given it's technically almost identical to the rest.
The article also mentioned Jevons’ paradox, which is something I didn't know had a name.