ClearingHouse is an embedded consensus system that relies on proof-of-publication. In laymans terms, ClearingHouse transactions occur on the Viacoin blockchain. The ClearingHouse transaction messages are encoded inside viacoin transaction for which you need viacoin. So it's not that there are "fees" for ClearingHouse transactions, it's that you cannot write CH messages in the blockchain without viacoin.
Blockchains themselves are not money, they are speech because they are the perfect way to publish information and establish order using decentralized consensus: in laymans terms, blockchains allow you to prove the order in which messages are recorded: e.g. Alice paid Bob, then Bob paid Charlie - it's this particular magic that solves the so called "double spend" problem. Money is an application of blockchains, as it notary, smart property, gambling etc. and anything else that requires the ability to establish the order in which events occurred in an immutable way.
@Btcdrak When will you be providing regular updates as stated in your earlier Blogs/messages?
