To create a "public profile" on Google for the "+1" feature
(this may only apply to users of Internet Explorer):
On your Google homepage, upper right corner, click on your email address
(Google username??) and find the option "create profile".
But "Google Profiles no longer supports IE7".
So you may need to download a modern browser. In my case, I'll have to try from home instead of from work, where I do 95% of my browsing.
Corey