Each Lender hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers hereunder as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its affiliates, directors, officers, attorneys or employees shall (a) be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it or them hereunder or in connection herewith, except for its or their own gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), or be responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for the effectiveness, enforceability, genuineness, validity or due execution of this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, (b) be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the terms, covenants or conditions hereof or thereof on the part of the Borrower or any other Company, or the financial condition of the Borrower or any other Company, or (c) be liable to any of the Companies for consequential damages resulting from any breach of contract, tort or other wrong in connection with the negotiation, documentation, administration or collection of the Loans or Letters of Credit or any of the Loan Documents.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility except those expressly set forth herein, nor shall the Administrative Agent have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender or participant, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, the use of the term "agent" herein and in other Loan Documents with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law.  Instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.