Incorporating many of @wking's changes (but not all); still unsure what to say about `-u`

Incorporating many of the changes recommended by @wking, but still unsure how to discuss the `-u` flag to `git push`.  If we create a new repository on GitHub *without* a license or README, GitHub's own instructions are to:

    touch README.md
    git init
    git add README.md
    git commit -m "first commit"
    git remote add origin git@github.com:gvwilson/no-initial-files.git
    git push -u origin master

or to:

    git remote add origin git@github.com:gvwilson/no-initial-files.git
    git push -u origin master

How do we explain (or explain away) the use of `-u` in this case when it isn't needed to clone an existing repository that has files?