within a table row can i float a jpg on the left and vertical align a second jpg on the right? the float works without the valign and the valign works without the float, but for some reason i can't use both.

Vertical alignment doesn't apply to right because right is a horizontal property.

Try this:

<td style="vertical-align:  bottom;"><img src="your image" style="float right" (other image properties such as width and height and alt and all that good stuff /></td>

thanks for the advise, but it didn't seem to work. the second jpg is still ignoring the valign command.

<td colspan="2" valign="bottom">
<a href="../index.html"><img src="../images/buttons/igl_logo.jpg" border="0" align="left"></a>
<img src="../images/buttons/tufts_logo.jpg" width="80" style="float:right;">
</td>