diff --git a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
index e811d4c..be2149f 100644
--- a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -58,19 +58,21 @@ You should get a more colorful version of this:
 just --list
 Available recipes:
     [Compliance]
-    compliance_check  # our own compliance check
+    compliance_check    # our own compliance check
 
     [Process]
-    branch branchname # start a new branch
-    merge             # merge PR and return to starting point
-    pr                # PR create 3.0
-    prweb             # view PR in web browser
-    sync              # escape from branch, back to starting point
+    branch branchname   # start a new branch
+    merge               # merge PR and return to starting point
+    pr                  # PR create 3.0
+    prweb               # view PR in web browser
+    release rel_version # make a release
+    sync                # escape from branch, back to starting point
 
     [Utility]
-    utcdate           # print UTC date in ISO format
+    clean_readme        # generate a clean README
+    utcdate             # print UTC date in ISO format
 
     [example]
-    list              # list recipes (default works without naming it)
+    list                # list recipes (default works without naming it)
 Your justfile is waiting for more scripts and snippets
 ```
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index e090ca4..d4d1b19 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -106,6 +106,44 @@ _main_branch:
 @utcdate:
     TZ=UTC date +"%Y-%m-%d"
 
+# generate a clean README
+[group('Utility')]
+[no-cd]
+clean_readme:
+    #!/usr/bin/env bash
+    set -euo pipefail # strict mode without tracing
+
+    GIT_ORIGIN=$(git config --get remote.origin.url | sed -e 's/^.*://' -e 's/[.]git$//')
+    #echo "$GIT_ORIGIN"
+
+    GITHUB_ORG=$(echo "$GIT_ORIGIN" | sed -e 's/[/].*$//')
+    echo "org={{BLUE}}$GITHUB_ORG{{NORMAL}}"
+
+    GITHUB_REPO=$(echo "$GIT_ORIGIN" | sed -e 's/^.*[/]//')
+    echo "repo={{BLUE}}$GITHUB_REPO{{NORMAL}}"
+
+    cat > README.md << END_OF_HEREDOC
+    # FINI template-repo
+
+    ![GitHub Issues](https://img.shields.io/github/issues/${GITHUB_ORG}/${GITHUB_REPO})
+    ![GitHub Pull Requests](https://img.shields.io/github/issues-pr/${GITHUB_ORG}/${GITHUB_REPO})
+    ![GitHub License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/${GITHUB_ORG}/${GITHUB_REPO})
+    ![GitHub watchers](https://img.shields.io/github/watchers/${GITHUB_ORG}/${GITHUB_REPO})
+
+    A good starting place for new github repos.
+
+    ## Contibuting
+
+    - [Code of Conduct](.github/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
+    - [Contributing Guide](.github/CONTRIBUTING.md) includes a step-by-step guide to our
+      [development processs](.github/CONTRIBUTING.md#development-process).
+
+    ## Support
+
+    - [Getting Support](.github/SUPPORT.md)
+    - [Security](.github/SECURITY.md)
+    END_OF_HEREDOC
+
 # our own compliance check
 [group('Compliance')]
 compliance_check:
@@ -188,3 +226,8 @@ compliance_check:
         echo "{{RED}}You do NOT have a justfile.  Feeling the FOMO yet?{{NORMAL}}"
         echo "{{RED}}And this should not be possible.  Tell me how you got here.{{NORMAL}}"
     fi
+
+# make a release
+[group('Process')]
+release rel_version:
+   gh release create {{rel_version}} --generate-notes