How to ask for a Salary Hike??

How to ask your boss for a salary hike? One day an employee sent a letter to his boss asking for an increase in his salary...

Dear Bo$$,

In thi$ life, we all need $ome thing mo$t de$perately. I think you $hould be under$tanding the need$ of u$ worker$ who have given $o much $upport including $weat and $ervice to your company. I am $ure you'll gue$$ what I mean and re$pond $oon. Your$ $incerely, Norman $oh

The next day, the employee received this letter of reply:

Dear NOrman,

I kNOw you have been working very hard. NOwadays, NOthing much has changed. You must have NOticed that our company is NOt doing NOticeably well as yet. NOw the newspaper are saying the world`s leading ecoNOmists are NOt sure if the United States may go into aNOther recession. After the NOvember presidential elections things may turn bad. I have NOthing more to add NOw. You kNOw what I mean.

Yours truly,

Manager