If the button isn't showing up, it's because your browser is blocking javascript. I don't like it, but that's the only mechanism Google provides to generate the button/count. For performance reasons, If I could serve it up any other way I would. What I did do was place the code so it runs after the rest of the page has loaded, so it doesn't hold up the rest of the page download.
P.S. - thanks to everyone who is participating!!