The article says the commute took so long because of traffic and congestion on the roads, so the distance itself might not be that far. It’s an unreasonably long commute either way though.
I could maybe understand accepting a job that far away as a temporary solution, like if you are eventually planning to relocate to that area and need to save up first, or trying to break into an industry with limited local opportunities until you get a bit of experience and find something closer.
Mint flavoring was added to toothpaste as a strategy by Pepsodent to make their toothpaste more appealing because it masked the flavor of other ingredients and the cooling sensation became associated with freshness. It became the default toothpaste flavor, but really you can flavor it any way you want.
I once got a gift set of these mini toothpastes in assorted flavors.