A sellout slate this year has led to scalping, whining and a bout of hand-wringing.

My social networks exploded with the news last Monday. "Sell-out" puns abounded. Facebook forums sprouted. Asking prices for scalped tickets on eBay and Stubhub soared to the thousands. Incredulous burners offered prized possessions in exchange for the biggest prize of all, a secured spot on the playa. ("I'd like to trade positive vibes and an iPad," one poor soul in Downtown Oakland posted on Craigslist). Somewhere, a hippie lost his spirit animal.