diff --git a/hc/accounts/views.py b/hc/accounts/views.py
index 501973cf..cee590ba 100644
--- a/hc/accounts/views.py
+++ b/hc/accounts/views.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def login(request):
             login_link = settings.SITE_ROOT + login_link
             body = "login link: %s" % login_link
 
-            send_mail('Log In', body, 'cuu508@gmail.com', [email],
+            send_mail('Log In', body, settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL, [email],
                       fail_silently=False)
 
             return redirect("hc-login-link-sent")
diff --git a/hc/api/management/commands/sendalerts.py b/hc/api/management/commands/sendalerts.py
index f27f00bf..bb6f75cb 100644
--- a/hc/api/management/commands/sendalerts.py
+++ b/hc/api/management/commands/sendalerts.py
@@ -18,28 +18,38 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
 
     def handle(self, *args, **options):
 
+        ticks = 0
         while True:
             # Gone down?
             query = Check.objects
             query = query.filter(alert_after__lt=timezone.now())
+            query = query.filter(user__isnull=False)
             query = query.filter(status="up")
             for check in query:
                 check.status = "down"
-                check.save()
 
                 _log("\nSending email about going down for %s\n" % check.code)
                 send_status_notification(check)
+                ticks = 0
+
+                # Save status after the notification is sent
+                check.save()
 
             # Gone up?
             query = Check.objects
             query = query.filter(alert_after__gt=timezone.now())
+            query = query.filter(user__isnull=False)
             query = query.filter(status="down")
             for check in query:
                 check.status = "up"
-                check.save()
 
                 _log("\nSending email about going up for %s\n" % check.code)
                 send_status_notification(check)
+                ticks = 0
+
+                # Save status after the notification is sent
+                check.save()
 
             time.sleep(1)
-            _log(".")
+            ticks = (ticks + 1) % 80
+            _log("." + ("\n" if ticks == 0 else ""))
diff --git a/hc/lib/emails.py b/hc/lib/emails.py
index ecd2fbcf..70d9792e 100644
--- a/hc/lib/emails.py
+++ b/hc/lib/emails.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.mail import send_mail
 
 
@@ -11,5 +12,5 @@ def send_status_notification(check):
     else:
         raise NotImplemented("Unexpected status: %s" % check.status)
 
-    send_mail(subject, body, 'cuu508@gmail.com', [check.user.email],
+    send_mail(subject, body, settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL, [check.user.email],
               fail_silently=False)
diff --git a/hc/settings.py b/hc/settings.py
index 7db3484e..9331756f 100644
--- a/hc/settings.py
+++ b/hc/settings.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ HOST = "localhost"
 SECRET_KEY = "---"
 DEBUG = True
 ALLOWED_HOSTS = []
+DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL = 'healthchecks@example.org'
 
 
 INSTALLED_APPS = (
@@ -95,8 +96,8 @@ STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static-collected')
 EMAIL_BACKEND = 'django_ses_backend.SESBackend'
 AWS_SES_ACCESS_KEY_ID = "---"
 AWS_SES_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY = "---"
-AWS_SES_REGION_NAME = 'eu-west-1'
-AWS_SES_REGION_ENDPOINT = 'email.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com'
+AWS_SES_REGION_NAME = 'us-east-1'
+AWS_SES_REGION_ENDPOINT = 'email.us-east-1.amazonaws.com'
 
 
 try: