Page 9 of 10 Pages

                                    EXHIBIT B

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that I, GEORGE SOROS,  hereby make,  constitute
and  appoint  each of  MICHAEL  C.  NEUS and  RICHARD  D.  HOLAHAN,  JR.  acting
individually,  as my agent and  attorney-in-fact for the purpose of executing in
my name,  (a) in my personal  capacity  or (b) in my  capacity  as Chairman  of,
member of or in other  capacities with Soros Fund Management LLC ("SFM LLC") and
each of its  affiliates  or entities  advised by me or SFM LLC,  all  documents,
certificates,  instruments,  statements, filings and agreements ("documents") to
be filed with or delivered to any foreign or domestic governmental or regulatory
body or  required or  requested  by any other  person or entity  pursuant to any
legal  or  regulatory  requirement  relating  to  the  acquisition,   ownership,
management or  disposition  of securities  or other  investments,  and any other
documents  relating  or  ancillary  thereto,  including  but not limited to, all
documents  relating to filings with the United  States  Securities  and Exchange
Commission  (the "SEC") pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities
Exchange  Act of 1934 (the  "Act")  and the rules  and  regulations  promulgated
thereunder, including: (1) all documents relating to the beneficial ownership of
securities  required  to be filed  with the SEC  pursuant  to  Section  13(d) or
Section 16(a) of the Act  including,  without  limitation:  (a) any  acquisition
statements on Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G and any amendments  thereto,  (b) any
joint  filing  agreements  pursuant  to  Rule  13d-1(k),  and  (c)  any  initial
statements of, or statements of changes in,  beneficial  ownership of securities
on Form 3,  Form 4 or Form 5 and (2)  any  information  statements  on Form  13F
required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(f) of the Act.

All past acts of the attorney-in-fact in furtherance of the foregoing are hereby
ratified and confirmed.

This power of attorney shall be valid from the date hereof until revoked by me.

IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have  executed  this  instrument  as of the 27th day of
January, 2000.

                                                     /s/ George Soros
                                                     --------------------------
                                                     GEORGE SOROS