


                                                             Page 21 of 79 Pages

                                    EXHIBIT B

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that I, STANLEY F. DRUCKENMILLER,  hereby make,
constitute  and  appoint  each of SEAN C.  WARREN and  MICHAEL  C. NEUS,  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 Lead  Portfolio
Manager of, member of or in other capacities with Soros Fund Management 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(f) 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  1st day of
January, 1997.




                                  /s/ Stanley F. Druckenmiller
                                  ----------------------------------------------
                                  STANLEY F. DRUCKENMILLER



